Re:Zero A New Crusade
by Masked Spider
Summary: Sir Ulric was a crusader who died at the defense of Jerusalem. But that was merely the beginning of a new journey as he awakes in a new world, where he can somehow return from death. Now he must learn to survive in this odd realm of magic, monsters, and demi-humans as his fate becomes intertwined with a royal candidate half elf and her frightening maids. As they say Deus Vult!
1. The Crusades

Re: Zero a New Crusade

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Re:Zero or its characters, they are all the properties of their respective owners. I only own my OC.**

 **Leaving the Holy Land**

Jerusalem, 1187:

The air was tense as he looked out from atop the defensive walls of Jerusalem, his left hand resting on his sword. He, like so many other soldiers and knights, had had a restless night, and given what he saw out in the distance it was no mystery why. But who was he? To most, he was introduced as Sir Ulric, but to his fellow knights and soldiers he simply preferred Ulric. Like many of his fellow knights, he was adorned with chain mail armor, a helmet under his arm with a pointed tip and small slits for the eyes, and of course what marked him as a crusader, a large, brown and blue fabric, sleeveless over shirt with two cross symbols and two copies of a bear's head, his family crest, on the front.

What set him apart from many of the other knights and soldiers was his short, dark hair and piercing grey eyes, as well as skin which had gotten a bit of sun from his years of fighting in this land. He also sported a diagonal scar on his left cheek that he'd actually received from an enemy assassin trying to kill one of their generals. But most of all was the fact that he was a boy of nineteen, who'd been promoted to knighthood early because they needed the men.

Another thing he currently had in common with his fellow knights, was a certain fatigue. Like many other knights, he'd ventured to Jerusalem as a crusader in hopes of defending the holy city against men like their current enemy Saladin. But keeping it had proved to be monstrously difficult, especially with a massive army of Muslim soldiers laying siege to it. Each day they fought and each day more and more knights fell to the massive army before they were pushed back. It was a painful, repetitive process where any moment threatened to be their last.

Ulric let out a breath as he began walking along the wall, peering out at the countless torches that marked their enemies. 'Not long now,' he thought to himself as he glanced eastward towards the horizon. Each day without fail, as soon as the sun rose their enemies would attack the walls with everything they had, throwing away countless lives if it meant killing a few more of them. It looked bleaker every day, but Ulric still had faith that something, anything, would occur to shift the odds in their favor once again.

'We've come so far,' he thought to himself as he glimpsed the rising of the sun in the distance, 'We can't fail now.' Taking a calming breath, Ulric donned his helmet and made his way back to his position. Not long after that, the sun rose on another day filled to the brim with steel and blood.

October 2, 1187: Jerusalem

The sounds of clashing metal, arrows flying, and soldiers screaming in either rage or pain filled the air as Ulric ran along the wall, crossbow in hand. A number of enemy soldiers were trying to get around to a part of the wall which had begun to fall in its defense. Ulric spotted some of the enemy approaching the wall carrying a long ladder. Taking aim, Ulric fired a bolt at the lead man, managing to hit him in the side as he fell over, slowing the advance of the other soldiers who now had to carry the ladder around their wounded comrade.

Ulric barely had enough time to reset the crossbow and load another bolt before several arrows began raining down near his position. Ignoring the sharp projectiles, he looked over the wall and fired another bolt, managing to hit another enemy in the chest. "There's more on this side!" Yelled one of his comrades, drawing Ulric's attention. Another group of soldiers within the mass of enemies below had brought another ladder to scale the wall.

"They've got no shortage of ladders today," Ulric couldn't help but say as he loaded another bolt in the crossbow. But the rain of arrows shifted over to his position, forcing him back from the wall's edge as he held his weapon up to ward off any stray shots. As it turned out, that was all the time the enemy needed to raise a couple of the ladders upward and brace them against the wall. Ulric waited for a lull in the volley of arrows before rushing forward and grabbing hold of the ladder. He glimpsed the surprised face of one of an adversary before shoving the ladder backwards, causing several of the enemy soldiers to fall backwards off of it.

Ulric smirked to himself for a moment, but he didn't have time to pat himself on the back as more soldiers came climbing up from the other ladder. Grabbing his crossbow again, he took aim and fired just as the first enemy made it onto the wall, hitting them in the chest. As the first one toppled over in pain, grabbing at the projectile in his chest, a second soldier leapt over him with an ax held above their head.

Having no time to load another bolt, Argus reacted by rushing forward and cracking the soldier across the face with the crossbow. The mechanism broke upon impact, breaking his enemy's nose and toppling him over as yet another soldier advanced to replace his fallen comrade. Argus dropped the crossbow and quickly drew his sword, parrying the new adversary's attack before slashing him across the stomach. The man sank to his knees as he clutched at his blood-soaked chest before collapsing the rest of the way to the ground.

Taking the initiative this time, Ulric raced forward and shoved the latest soldier from the ladder off the wall, eliciting a manic cry as he fell. He then proceeded to behead the next unfortunate soul who poked his head up from the ladder before also shoving this one away from the wall. 'That's two down,' he thought to himself as the remaining knights and soldiers at their part of the wall regrouped. "This is not looking good," Said one of his comrades, Sir Rodrick, as he lifted the plate on his own personal helmet, revealing a large, grey mustache. "They've figured out this part of the wall is more lightly defended, they've managed to get soldiers up on either side of us."

"Any chance of reinforcement on this side?" Questioned Ulric as he noticed several more enemy soldiers were heading for them along the wall.

"Maybe if they can break through the wall of enemies first," Answered Rodrick, "Otherwise I haven't got the slightest idea."

"Well at least we can cut down a good number of them," Said Ulric as they faced their charging enemies with the rest of their comrades.

"That's the most optimistic thing you've said all day," Replied Rodrick as they clashed with several enemy soldiers. Ulric slashed through the first couple of enemies before kicking another back, then slicing a mace wielder by the throat. He was forced to block the slashes of a rather zealous soldier before countering with a blow to his leg. The soldier went down on one leg as Ulric finished him off by jabbing his blade into his heart.

Rodrick was faring about as well as he hacked his way through one soldier after another. Despite their skill, however, they were also losing men and the enemy outnumbered them. At one point, just as Ulric dispatched another foe, the next soldier immediately after managed to bash him on the side of his helmet with an ax. The blow managed to dent his helmet inward a bit, obscuring his vision as he fell backwards. Ulric kicked out blindly, managing to trip up his opponent as Rodrick came in with a clean decapitating blow.

"On your feet sir knight," Said Rodrick as he helped him to his feet, "You can't defend the wall from the ground."

"And here I was hoping for a short break," replied Ulric as he tore his dented helmet off of his head. With his vision cleared, he noticed something strange, the enemy soldiers were moving away. That was when he noticed something else in the distance on the wall. An enemy commander was signaling towards the army down below, where even more archers had set up, as well as a few catapults.

"Incoming!" Ulric yelled as another mass volley of arrows and a couple of stones from catapults hit their position. The wall next to him exploded in a shower of stone, some of which cut into the skin on his face and another larger stone hit him in his side. He was also cut by several arrows, one of which struck him in the upper left arm while another caught him in the back of his right shoulder. Ulric cringed in pain as he reached over and yanked the arrow out of his left arm.

Thanks to the chainmail the arrow didn't get too deep, but it was still enough to make it painful. "Are you still alive Ulric," asked Rodrick as they both staggered to their feet.

"Well I'm not totally dead anyway," answered Ulric, "Could you do something about that arrow in my shoulder real quick?" Rodrick complied as he pulled the other arrow out of his shoulder, getting a quick hiss of pain from him as he did so. A few other soldiers and knights were staggering to their feet as well, but it was only a quarter of the ones who'd been there. Those who hadn't been killed by arrows or debris from the catapults were either too injured to stand or would soon be dead anyway. That wasn't the worst news, however.

The catapult impacts had created quite a large amount of dust, but it was clearing quickly and it revealed the severity of their situation. More enemies had managed to scale the wall and were massing in front of them. A number of enemies were also behind them, though they were engaged with several of their allies who were trying desperately to get to their side of the wall. "We can't turn our backs here," Said Rodrick, "The larger number of enemies will cut us down from behind before we can fight through to get to our allies."

"So forward it is then," Said Ulric as he gripped his sword, fear and determination coursing through his veins at the same time. "If it's our time, let's take down ten for every one of us that falls!"

"If it is our time, then Deus Vult," answered Rodrick as he made to charge. The remaining knights did so as well as the enemy began rushing towards them.

"DEUS VULT!" Roared Ulric as he charged forward, his cry joined by several others as they raced towards their enemies. As the two forces clashed, Ulric cut through one adversary after another, dodging and ducking around enemy weapons with a speed born of battle rage and desperation. But the farther they went, the more enemies there were and the harder it became to push through. Ulric didn't keep count of the enemies who fell and tried not to pay attention when an ally went down. For the moment, he only had one goal, the enemy commander.

The only person who was ahead of him was Rodrick, and he managed to reach the enemy commander just before him. The young knight had a different problem, however, as the soldiers who'd been guarding the commander went for him. Ulric was forced back as he contended with a pair of sword wielders and a mace wielder. The first few attacks were vicious, but he managed to block and turn against one of the strikes, causing the first sword wielder to move past him as he ducked another strike and swung low.

A cry of pain rang out from the enemy as he fell back, clutching the massive cut on his upper leg. But the fight wasn't over as Ulric just barely managed to avoid the mace wielder before receiving a cut on his side from the other sword wielder. Reacting quickly, he kicked the soldier in the chest, knocking him off balance before slashing open his throat at the line right underneath his helmet. This left him undefended on his side as the mace wielder came in for another strike at his head.

Ulric raised his left arm just in time, yelping in pain as the mace impacted against him. The mace wielder struck his arm a couple more times, causing the bones in his arm to crack a bit as he was knocked to the ground. As his enemy raised his mace for a finishing blow, Ulric struck out with his sword in a desperate maneuver. His gamble paid off this time, fortunately, as he managed to stab the mace wielder in the gut, causing him to drop his mace in shock.

The young knight shoved his sword even further into his enemy's intestines as he struggled to rise. Blood spouted out of the soldier's mouth as he grabbed the sword in his gut and tried to remove it. Ulric was more than happy to help out as he got the rest of the way to his feet and yanked his weapon out, causing the mace wielder to fall to the ground in a quickly forming puddle of his own blood. The exhausted knight then took the temporary reprieve to test his left arm, finding that he could barely move it without causing a stinging pain. That wasn't the worst issue, he found as he took in his chaotic surroundings.

The remaining knights around him were falling, slowly but surely and even worse, Rodrick was struggling against the commander. 'This is turning into a massacre,' he realized, 'I'm barely in fighting condition anymore and if something isn't done, Rodrick might die.' Ulric glanced at the sword in his hand as he saw Rodrick being knocked to the ground, just barely fending off his enemy's attacks. Clenching his fist, the young knight made his decision.

Charging forward, Ulric went for the commander's blind spot with a straight jab of his blade. The commander turned around too late as Ulric barreled into him, shoving his sword through his enemy's side as he slammed him against the wall. But the commander wasn't done quite yet as he pulled out a dagger and swung it towards Ulric's head. On reflex, the young knight managed to raise his left arm just enough to block his enemy's wrist while moving his head to the side.

This didn't stop the blade from sticking into his right shoulder, however, as the commander also grabbed onto his right arm where the sword was embedded. "Get away from the wall Ulric!" Yelled Rodrick as he struggled to get up, due to a wounded leg. The young knight took one last look at his friend as he felt his life ebbing away from blood loss.

"Deus Vult, Rodrick," Ulric finally said, "Deus Vult." With one final effort, Ulric shoved them both off of the wall. The last thing he heard before everything went black was the sound of the air rushing by him, the chaos of battle, and his old friend's final cry of anguish. That day, according to the records of the crusades, Sir Ulric died. But in truth, fate's plans for the young crusader were just beginning. For the next time he opened his eyes, he would be in a land unlike anything he'd ever imagined, the kingdom of Lugnica.

 **And so it begins, my newest story on fanfiction. I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter and my new character Ulric, who was suggested to me by a fellow reader (couldn't find the message with the suggestion) and voted as best character by the rest of you. As with all of my other stories, if you have any critiques or ideas, just let me know and I'll see what I can do better or incorporate. Hope you all enjoy the ride as we tackle the violent, magic-filled world of Re:Zero with a knight in place of Subaru. Swing by next times as Ulric awakes to a new world of pain and possibilities. 'Til next time.**


	2. New World, New Rules

**New World, New Rules**

The Kingdom of Lugnica

'What,' thought Ulric as he was blinded temporarily by a bright light? After blinking a few times, he noticed that he was standing on solid ground, surrounded by several buildings with a large fountain behind him. The buildings reminded him a bit of his home back in Europe except a bit more colorful and a little nicer. It was then that Ulric also noticed the people in the surrounding area, not all of whom were human. 'What's going on, where am I?'

The sight that greeted him was not only of humans walking around, but lizards and dogs wearing clothes strolling about. There were also shorter people than he'd ever seen as well as people who appeared to have animal ears or tails. 'This is not the holy land,' he realized, 'but it is definitely not home either.' It was right about then that some of the people took notice of him, and started steering clear of him.

'Oh right,' Ulric thought as he noticed that his sword was still drawn, and strangely unstained by blood. The knight sheathed his weapon as he took stock of his condition. All of his armor and weapons were clean as the day before the battle, and none of his clothes wore torn or even dirtied. What was more, the injuries he'd sustained in the battle were all gone, in fact he hardly felt any pain at all. 'I don't know how or why I'm here, but I seem to be alright so I may as well look around.'

Ulric began walking the streets, taking in the sights all around him. He seemed to be in some kind of market, given how the streets were lined with stalls selling numerous goods, foods and even a few weapons. Ulric was doing his best to avoid the more animalistic citizens, keeping his hand on his weapon in case one of them turned on him. But the other humans hardly seemed to notice, in fact he saw many striking up conversations, some buying and selling to each other and if he wasn't mistaken he saw a couple walking by holding hands.

'This world seems like a fairy tale that my parents once told me,' thought Ulric, 'only far more descriptive and far stranger.' And just like the fairy tales that his parents told him, this world was not without its dangers. The knight quickly realized this when he heard a young girl in the middle of the street crying for help. The little one had fallen while crossing and was in danger of being crushed by a cart being pulled by a horse-sized, lizard-like being.

Ulric reacted on instinct and rushed out into the street, leaping with outstretched arms as he made it three-quarters of the way. The knight turned to the side, grabbing hold of the frightened girl as he used his momentum to roll the both of them out of the way. He felt the ground shake as the heavy cart rushed by, the driver apparently unable, or too uncaring, to slow down. After waiting for a moment, Ulric stood up and helped the frightened girl to her feet, quickly checking to make sure she wasn't injured.

"Are you alright young lady," asked Ulric as he escorted her the rest of the way off the street. The crowd let out a modest cheer and several applause at his actions.

"Yes, thank you sir knight," said the girl with a bow as she went along her way. Ulric nodded as he turned to head on his way, or at least that was the plan until he felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning around, he was greeted by the sight of another female, though this one possessed dog ears for whatever reason.

"I'm glad a knight has come this way," the woman said, "I'm afraid there's a slight problem in one of the alleyways." Ulric wasn't sure how much he could trust this dog-eared woman, but his oath as a knight dictated that he was a protector of the people. So he followed the instructions given to him by the woman and found a rather deserted part of the street where the entrance to the alleyway stood. Sure enough, as he walked down the alley he spotted three people. One was a surprisingly short individual, who couldn't have been more than four feet tall with a bowl haircut and a cloak concealing the rest of their body.

The second one was a much larger individual, reaching taller than Ulric with a broad body. He was adorned with a vest, a baggy shirt and pants with an orange belt and a turban-like bandana atop his head. The final individual, who Ulric guessed was the leader, wore a plain shirt and pants, similar to prison clothing in his opinion, with white hair and some kind of metal piercings in his tongue and, for whatever odd reason, shackles on his ankles, wrists and neck. They didn't look like much but the young knight had learned a long time ago not to take any enemy too lightly, which was why he exercised caution and approached while their backs were turned.

As he got close, he noticed what had drawn the three robber's attention. At the other end of the alley was a white-haired girl wearing a short, white dress with white fabric hanging off of her arms and two long, white boots which went up past her knees. Her outfit was also interlaced with lines of purple, all of which were likely expensive, and two pieces of cloth hanging off the sides of her hips with golden eagles decorating each. The three robbers were in the process of threatening the girl, demanding her money and possessions. The girl appeared unconcerned with the presence of the three, in fact she seemed to be in something of a hurry. 'I'd best step in,' thought Ulric as he approached, intentionally stepping more heavily than before.

The sound of his footsteps finally got the thieves attention as they spun around to face the newcomer. "I don't know much about the economy of this city," said Ulric, "But it seems like getting jobs shouldn't be so terribly difficult that one should resort to mugging."

"Oh good, we'll have plenty of money now," said the leader of the muggers as he drew a pair of daggers.

"If you leave now and try to turn your lives around, I swear on my honor as a knight that I will neither harm you nor turn you in." Declared Ulric, putting just the slightest bit of authority to his voice.

"Wait knight," said the shortest criminal as he finally spotted the sword on Ulric's hip. "Uh boss, maybe we should just-."

"I'm not scared of some guy in chainmail!" Yelled the leader as he charged at Ulric with his daggers bared. The knight's years of training kicked in as he quickly dodged to the left, noting his attacker's sloppy form. He then quickly cocked his fist back and slammed his armor covered fist into the criminal's face, knocking him into the alley wall where he slumped down into unconsciousness.

"I don't wear this chainmail and banner for show," said Ulric as he stepped forward, glaring at the two remaining criminals.

"Quick, grab the gi-AAAAAAH." The smaller criminal started to say before a block of ice knocked him in the head. The remaining thug and Ulric both looked on in shock as the girl produced another rectangular block of ice out of thin air and fired it. The criminal was too dumbfounded to react in time as the ice knocked him in the head and onto the ground, joining the rest of his compatriots in unconsciousness.

"That takes care of that little annoyance," said the girl as she stepped over the bodies of the downed criminals. "And while it was unneeded, I still thank you for your help sir knight." Ulric didn't know what to say for a moment as the girl began to pass by him.

"H-how did you do that?" Asked a very confused knight, "You created, ice, out of thin air."

"Simple water magic," said the girl as she stopped to answer, "It's a rather basic skill actually."

"Basic?" Questioned Ulric, still incredibly confused, "There's nothing basic about making ice shoot out of your hands. I've seen numerous tricks performed that were supposed to be 'magic' but never once have I seen someone manipulate an element like that."

"Gosh, I guess nothing really happens where you come from," said a voice from seemingly nowhere. In the next instant, a small cat came floating out from behind the girl's hair. Ulric leapt back and drew his sword on reflex.

"What are you demon?!" Questioned Ulric as he pointed his sword at the floating cat, "Are you the demon possessing this girl? Is it you whose given her the power of ice?!"

"Wo, wo slow down there," said the cat, "I'm a spirit, Puck's the name and I'm not possessing anyone. In fact, I'm contracted to Emilia here, so it's more like I work for her."

"Puck!" Exclaimed the girl, who Ulric now knew as Emilia, "Don't just go telling my name to strangers!"

"Oh right," Said Puck as he rubbed the back of his head while still floating in the air, "It just kind of slipped out."

"A spirit you say," said Ulric, still holding his sword up, "Are you some kind of gypsy, or perhaps a witch?"

"I AM NO WITCH!" Exclaimed the girl, practically screaming in Ulric's face, "And I'm not the other thing either! I'm a half elf whose been trained in the spirit arts and I draw my magic from mana like any other magic user. And shame on you for even suggesting that I'm anything like those black-hearted witches!"

"Alright, easy," Said Ulric, lowering his sword at Emilia's sudden outburst, "This place is strange to me is all. Where I come from, only self-proclaimed magicians and witches use magic and it's normally just some kind of trick."

"Gosh, you must come from a bleak place," Said Puck, "Anyone can learn to use magic here so long as they have a good gate."

"Gate?" Questioned Ulric, still very confused as he sheathed his sword.

"We don't have time for this Puck, remember," Said Emilia as she turned to leave, "We have to get my insignia back."

"Wait," Said Ulric as he made to follow after her, "There's a lot I don't know about this place, but I am still a knight. Perhaps I can be of assistance and you can teach me more about this place." This caused Emilia to stop and think for a moment.

"Ah what could it hurt Emilia," Said Puck as he flew out and circled Ulric's head, "He does have some skill, and an extra pair of eyes is never a bad thing." The white-haired girl sighed after a moment.

"Very well sir knight," She finally said, "This is an extraordinarily large city, so I suppose having someone else looking may prove helpful. And, in exchange, I will teach you about this place, but first tell me one thing, what should I call you?"

"You may call me Sir Ulric," Said the knight with a bow, "Or simply Ulric, and for this short time, my sword shall be yours to command." Emilia actually smiled a little at that as the two of them began their search.

 **Our young knight has found himself in an unfamiliar land, but with the help of this possible new ally he may yet have a chance. Hello everyone and here we are at the end of the second chapter of our new Re:Zero story. I hope you've all enjoyed it so far and please feel free to comment or review, especially if I start messing up the personalities of everyone's favorite characters. And do stop by for our next chapter as Ulric and Emilia run into a more deadly situation than expected in the slums. 'Til next time.**


	3. Old Death's Loot House

**Old Death's Loot House**

The City of Lugnica

The search for Emilia's insignia was long, but incredibly enlightening at the same time. Ulric learned much about the city, the kingdom of Lugnica, the animal people known as demi-humans, and the existence of magic within this strange world. He also learned, much to his displeasure, that while he could understand and communicate with everyone in this world, he could not read a single letter of the native language.

The search was lengthened even further when they encountered a lost child. Emilia insisted on helping the girl, while Ulric simply stood by his current oath to be her sword. To be honest, it truly didn't matter how long the search took to him. Having any ally at all at this point was good and who was he to turn down a child that needed help. 'I'm really not all that good with kids though,' Ulric thought as they walked along with the little girl, 'But it seems that knights are well-respected in this kingdom, so no one should trouble us while we search.'

Eventually they found the little girl's mother, as well as her father who owned a fruit stand with apples. The man insisted they were called appas, but Ulric didn't really see the difference. This good deed, though, turned out to be the lucky break they'd been looking for as the man was able to tell them the name of the girl who matched the description of the thief, Felt, and better yet where she could be found. "I suppose it figures we'd find a thief in the slums," Ulric said as they made their way to the poorer part of the city.

"You don't seem all that surprised by the state of this place," Observed Emilia as they crossed into an area full of dilapidated buildings.

"I've seen many places like this," Said Ulric as they spied a number of people in ragged clothing watching them, "And many more that were reduced to even worse states than here. Sad as this place may appear, at least it has some semblance of life still remaining, for whatever that's worth."

"You sound like someone who's been through a war," Said Puck as he perched on Emilia's shoulder.

"For a few years, war was my life," Said Ulric, "Like so many I rushed to the front in hopes of doing my family, the church and my kingdom proud. But the fighting raged on and on, and with each battle more and more of my comrades fell as we fought against an ever shrinking hope of victory. My moments of peace and reprieve were between battles and whatever moments I could steal away. Then one day, fate decided to send me here." This made Emilia pause for a moment as she took in his words.

"You're in a precarious position," Said Emilia, "In a foreign land far from home, with no family or allies to aid you, and I'm certain the currency you have is no good here. Fate may have brought you out of war, but it seems that was its only kindness."

"I wouldn't say I have no allies," Said Ulric, "I'm working with the two of you right now."

"Yes, but that's merely a temporary circumstance," Said Emilia, "If I didn't need help looking for my insignia, it's likely I would've just passed you by after our encounter in the alley."

"If that's the way you truly feel about it," Ulric said, "Then simply point me in the direction of someone willing to employ a knight after this is over." Puck simply shook his head at that statement, seemingly a little disappointed.

"You can be so insincere sometimes Emilia," Said Puck, "And as much as I'd like to say more about it, I'm afraid I don't have that kind of time."

"Are you running late for something cat spirit," Questioned Ulric, "I had no idea spirits kept their own schedules."

"Something like that," Replied Puck, "Taking a physical form requires a lot of mana, meaning I have a limited time that I can be out of my crystal. So, in order to recharge a bit I return to it at night and wait for the sun to come back up. On average, I can stay physical from nine to five or eight hours."

"You make it sound like the end of a work shift," Said Ulric, "But then again, you are under contract, so I suppose it makes sense to think about it that way."

"And right now my contract says my time is up," said Puck with a yawn as the little spirit began to fade from existence.

"It'll be alright," Said Emilia, "We should be able to handle things from here on out. So get some rest for the time being."

"Just remember," Said Puck, "Use the Udo to summon me if things get especially hairy. But mostly, try not to be reckless." Emilia nodded in understanding as she held out the green jewel she'd been wearing on her dress. Puck quickly crawled to her hands as his form was becoming practically transparent. Before he went, he turned to Ulric. "I'm leaving the rest to you sir knight, try to take care of her."

"On my honor," Said Ulric with a slight bow, "I'll let myself become a bloodied corpse before any harm comes to her." Puck nodded, clearly happy with his declaration as he broke apart into numerous, small glowing orbs. They hung in the air for a moment like a group of fireflies before quickly flying into the jewel Emilia was holding.

"Truly amazing," Said Ulric, "The magic of this realm is so different from what I was taught growing up."

"You'll have to tell me more about it sometime," Said Emilia as they began walking again, "What you describe about your home sounds like no other land I've ever heard of."

"If the chance presents itself, I will," Said Ulric, "But first we still have to solve our current problem. Though I doubt the occupants of this area will be of any help to us. A kind of kinship forms among groups like these and they tend not to rat out their fellow thieves."

"Then I can ask the lesser spirits for some direction," Said Emilia as she stopped in the middle of a small bridge they were crossing.

"There are lesser spirits too," Questioned Ulric with a raised eyebrow, "I thought they were all like Puck to some degree or another?"

"Lesser spirits are on their way to becoming spirits like Puck," Explained Emilia as she held her hands out in front of her. "They must first gain strength and awareness and only then will they become full spirits." The half-elf girl then closed her eyes as she mouthed a few words, too quietly for Ulric to hear. In the next instant, she began to glow blue as a number of small, blue lights seemed to dance around her. It was a fascinating sight for someone like Ulric who'd never seen spirits, so-called, behave in such a way.

After another moment, the lights faded as Emilia opened her eyes. "They said someone matching Felt's description went this way," she said as they proceeded further into the slums. As they walked, there were signs of fewer and fewer people living in run down or basically destroyed buildings.

"So what's our plan for when we find Felt," Asked Ulric, "I've little problem ending the life of a thief."

"No need to be so quick to resort to violence," Said Emilia, "We just need to take the insignia from her and that'll be that."

"Can we simply buy it back from her?" Questioned Ulric, "I imagine she stole it from you in the first place because you wear somewhat more elegant clothing than most around this area. That sort of thing usually means you have some money on you."

"I'm afraid that's out of the question," Said Emilia, "I don't typically carry a lot of money with me and I used what little I had earlier."

"I guess that means we'll have to try a different negotiating tactic," Said Ulric, "I'll let you do the talking, but the moment something looks bad I'm stepping in."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," Said Emilia as they stopped at a larger, better kept house. "This is the place, the lesser spirits said it's the loot house of old man Rom."

"Well let's if someone's home," Said Ulric as he went up to the door and knocked on it a few times. When no one answered he knocked a couple more times, but was again met with only silence. It was then he decided to try the door, discovering that it was unlocked.

"Would you call that unusual?" Questioned Emilia as she put her hand to her chin in thought.

"If we're lucky, it's just vacant right now," Replied Ulric as he gripped his sword. "Wait here, I'm going in for a look. I'll signal you if everything's safe."

"And if it turns out not to be safe?" Questioned Emilia, with a mild bit of concern in her voice.

"Well the sounds of a violent struggle will be the signal to get away," Answered the knight as he drew his sword and opened the door. The inside was dark, with the only light coming from the moon entering through the window and the cracks in the roof. Ulric made his way slowly inside, glancing about the area as he did so. The building appeared to be some kind of shop with a bar in the corner and a table with a couple of benches next to it. Numerous pieces were scattered about the inside ranging from plates and silverware to jewelry boxes to even a couple of weapons and armor, all of which were probably stolen.

What made Ulric far more cautious, however, was the state of the room. It looked almost as if some kind of fight had broken out. Moving further in, he caught an all too familiar smell, that of blood. Making his way to the source of the smell, Ulric was able to make out a prone form on the floor and, as his eyes adjusted, a puddle of blood. 'His neck's been slashed and this blood isn't dried,' he realized, 'Which means the killer still might be.'

Whirling around, Ulric was about to call out a warning when a glint and the sound of a blade cutting through the air came at him. The knight was barely able to deflect it in time as the force caused him to nearly stumble over. "You saw my little mess," said a female voice that Ulric couldn't locate in the darkness, "Guess I have no choice." Several more slashes came out of the darkness, forcing Ulric back until one finally came through and slashed his arm, causing him to drop his sword.

The knight moved to the side just as another slash nearly got him in the gut. 'That was too close,' thought Ulric as he reached behind his back, positioning himself in a way were his arm wouldn't be seen easily. 'I might have one chance the next time she charges at-AAAACK!' The knight coughed up some blood as he clutched his chest, before pulling his left hand away to see it covered in blood. 'She cut straight through the chainmail and deep into my stomach.'

Then, to make the situation even worse, the sound of the door opening drew his attention. "What's going on Ulric?" Questioned Emilia as she walked in, unaware of the danger. Ulric attempted to yell out a warning to the white-haired girl, hoping that at the very least he could save her life. But the words never came as the sound of a swinging blade towards his head was the last thing he heard. The next thing he knew, he was somewhere else entirely.

 **Death confronts Ulric yet again as he struggles to protect his new ally. Who is this woman and why is she at the loot house? Hello everyone and welcome to the start of a new month. As always I'd like to express my appreciation for all my readers, commentors and reviewers and I encourage you all to keep it up because good critique can only make this story better. Be sure to stop in next time as Ulric must navigate around some rather strange circumstances in order to rescue Emilia. 'Til next time.**


	4. Negotiations At Blade Point

**Negotiations At Blade Point**

A Section of Lugnica: By the Fountain

"AAAAAAARGH," Ulric shouted before he realized that he wasn't in pain anymore. 'What in the world,' he thought to himself as he felt his throat and then his stomach. "Back in one piece, but how?" He questioned out loud as he checked himself for any other damage. All of the injuries he'd sustained from whatever in the world had been in that loot house were gone. 'If that was a dream, it felt way too real.'

Ulric checked the surrounding area and noticed that he was in front of what appeared to be the same fountain he'd arrived at earlier. In fact, the whole area seemed to be the exact same one he'd appeared in after his apparent death in Jerusalem. 'Funny thing is, shouldn't I wake up back home if I was dreaming? Because if I'm not.' That was when realization hit him. 'If this isn't a dream, then Emilia is still back there, at the loot house!' Without wasting anymore time, Ulric started racing towards the slums.

As he raced through a few alleys and onto the street, the scream of a girl caught his ears. Looking over to the source of the terrified scream, Ulric saw what appeared to be the same girl about to be run over by a familiar looking cart. 'Oh I do not have time for this,' thought Ulric as he raced across the street and dove for the girl. It was an almost exact repeat of what happened earlier, only this time Ulric simply gave a quick warning to the girl to stop falling over in the middle of the street before he raced off and continued towards the slums.

Along the way, he noticed a number of peculiar sights. The sun was back to being overhead, like it had been when he'd gotten there. All of the people were moving around in a similar fashion as well, mimicking the exact same movements they'd been doing earlier. Merchants were arranging things that should've been taken care of hours ago, workers were piling the same stack of crates they'd been piling earlier and merchandise that had been sold was being bought again by the same people that had bought it before. 'It's like I've seen all of this before,' Ulric thought as he continued rushing towards the slums, 'just what in the world is going on with this place?'

Whatever it was, Ulric couldn't worry about it now. What he did need to worry about was Emilia. While it was true she'd demonstrated the ability to defend herself with magic, she had hardly any warning about whatever, or whoever it was in the loot house. If she was lucky, she would've caught sight of the attacker and fled the area or failing that, tried freezing her in place or impaling her. Either way, Ulric rushed on for several minutes, trying his best to keep a good pace until he finally reached the slums.

Navigating the area by memory wasn't really a problem given the uniqueness of the loot house. When he arrived, the door was closed, which he would've found slightly strange if the circumstances weren't so bad. Quickly drawing his sword, Ulric kicked the door open and moved into the house, where he was met by yet another surprise that day. The interior of the room was much better lit this time around thanks to the sun, and what was more, it was in relatively good order. As for the large, dark-skinned man he'd seen in the corner, he was behind the bar and more surprisingly, not dead.

This of course led to a slight problem. The dead don't care if you kick in their door, but the living on the other hand. "Hey what's your problem?! Yelled the large man as he stood up to his full height, which was towering over Ulric a bit. Now that he got a good look at him, Ulric noted that the man was bald with strangely large, white eyebrows and some groomed white hair on his arms. The man was also dressed in a simple black vest and pants. "It's bad enough you're breaking into my shop with a drawn sword, but you've interrupted my afternoon booze as well!" It took a few moments for Ulric to answer, given his currently confused state.

"How are you alive?" Ulric finally questioned as he lowered his sword. "And what happened to the wound in your throat?" Now it was the large man's turn to be confused.

"What are you going on about?" The man questioned with a raised eyebrow, "I haven't got any wound in my throat. And I may be old but I'm definitely not dead, unless you're the grim reaper, which I severely doubt."

"You're right on that account," Said Ulric as he walked into the loot house, checking around for the one who'd attacked him earlier. He knew it wasn't the large man, given the fact that the voice he'd heard was definitely female. What's more, it seemed highly unlikely that this man would be able to sneak up on him. "I suppose you can say I've had an unusual day." Ulric closed the door behind him before sheathing his sword, but he kept his hand on it just in case.

"Well thanks to you my day just went from fine to unusual," replied the large man as he picked up a large glass and drank from it. "So what are you here for? Knights don't often venture into this little section unless there's something incredibly important going on, and last I checked, my shop hasn't got anything of any importance in here. Though come to think of it, you're not dressed like any knight I've ever seen."

"Well you could say I'm from outside of the kingdom," Said Ulric as he made his way forward and sat down at the bar in front of the man. "But I am still a knight and I happen to be looking for someone, a girl with white hair and pointed ears, sound familiar?"

"I haven't seen anyone who'd stick out like that," replied the man, "I may not be as sharp as I once was, but my memory is still pretty good."

"Well if it is I have another question, Mr.-?" Said Ulric as he leaned forward a bit.

"Just call me Old Man Rom or simply Rom," he replied before taking another drink.

"Well Rom, I'm also looking for an object, an insignia with a jewel in the middle. Got anything that matches a description like that?" Asked Ulric. The large man scratched his bald head as he thought for a moment.

"Nope, doesn't sound like anything I've acquired recently," said Rom, "I got a stock of other jewels if you'd like to take a look at those."

"So a little blond girl by the name of Felt hasn't run through here?" Questioned Ulric with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh you're looking for Felt," Said the large man as his tone changed a little, "Did that insignia you're looking for belong to you?"

"No actually," Said Ulric as his grip tightened on his sword a little, "The insignia belongs to the white-haired girl I'm looking for. I'm not looking for a fight or to arrest the thief, I just want to get the insignia back for her."

"Well she hasn't come through here today," Said Rom, "And I doubt I'll be seeing her at any point any time-." The old man was interrupted by a knock on the door. With a slightly annoyed expression on his face, Rom stood up and went over to the door. After a quick exchange of words, what Ulric guessed was one answering a password question, the large man opened the door to reveal a small blond girl.

She wore simple attire, such as a long red scarf, black gloves, a brown vest with a shirt that still left most of her stomach exposed, and a pair of boots and shorts with a knife hanging off the back. Ulric also noted that for some reason her eyes appeared to be red. "Oh, I didn't know you had company Rom, who's this supposed to be?"

"This young knight here has come looking for an insignia," Said Rom, "What was your name again?"

"Ulric," answered the knight, "And you're Felt aren't you little one?"

"And just how in the world do you know that," asked the girl cautiously as she walked in while Rom closed the door behind her.

"Because earlier today in the market, you swiped an insignia from a white-haired girl by the name of Emilia," Said Ulric, "And while I've lost track of her at the moment, I'm sure she's on her way here, assuming she hasn't stopped by already."

"Hmmm," Felt thought aloud as she put a hand to her chin, "Maybe I did and maybe I didn't. The question is, how much will you pay to get it back?" Ulric was starting to lose his patience, until he heard what the little thief had to say next. "And, can you pay more than our client?"

"Client?" Questioned Ulric, "You're telling me someone paid you to steal that insignia?"

"Well not yet," Said Felt as she sat down at the bar, "But once they get here, they're going to make a good offer for it. But, if you feel like doing a bit of bidding, we'd be more than happy to give you the insignia if you can offer a better price." Ulric thought about if for a moment. There was really no reason he couldn't fight them both and take the insignia back, even if it meant killing them both. But his curiosity had been piqued and left a lingering question, what was so important about this insignia that someone would pay a substantial amount to get it.

More importantly, a memory flashed through Ulric's mind, the image of the large man, dead on the floor in a puddle of his own blood. 'If they're willing to pay to have it stolen, they may be willing to kill to keep it away from her. I need to find out who's behind all this.' "Alright," Said Ulric as he removed his hand from his sword, "I'll play along. After all, there's no reason this should become a blood bath over a little object with a jewel in it."

"Glad to hear it," Said Felt as she and Rom visibly relaxed, "So, while we wait, would you care for a drink sir knight?" Ulric nodded his head and took some milk served by Rom. He was careful to keep his eye on the large man as he poured it and carefully tested it before taking a drink, happy to see that it hadn't been poisoned. They passed the time with a little bit of idle conversation until finally, a knock was heard on the door.

In the next moment, in walked a woman the likes of which Ulric had never seen. She had pitch black hair which went past her shoulders and wore a black and blue outfit which seemed to show off far more skin than Ulric thought appropriate given the nature of the business about to take place. She also sported a large, frilled cape which was draped around her shoulders. The woman had a knowing smile on her face, but not the kind one would describe as warm. To be honest, she reminded Ulric of a performing gypsy, if not for her white skin.

"Well now, it seems we have a bigger audience than I expected," Said the woman as she approached, "I'm familiar with the old man, but who might this boy in the chainmail be? Extra security perhaps?"

"Think of me as a curious second party," Said Ulric, "I've heard the merchandise being exchanged here is valuable. I'd like to know how valuable, or at least why it's valuable to you."

"Oh I'm afraid I really couldn't say," Replied the woman as she adjusted the purple flower in her hair before sitting down, "I was merely sent here with the funds to purchase it. My employer is the one who wants it."

"And they didn't happen to say why they wanted it, Mrs.-?" Questioned Ulric with a raised eyebrow.

"Call me Elsa," replied the woman, "And all I can really say is that they don't wish for the current owner to have it." The woman took a sip of her milk before leaning forward. "But what about you? You're clearly not a businessman or a jeweler, so what could you possibly need with it?"

"Well I was hoping to learn why it was so important," Said Ulric, "But since that's not possible, I plan on getting it back to its owner and-." Ulric stopped speaking when he noticed a change in the woman's demeanor, and a sudden smell he knew all too well, blood.

"Oh," Elsa said as a wicked smile crossed her face, "So you're with her then?" Ulric reacted on instinct as he moved back and kicked the table upwards in front of him. But the furniture was cleanly sliced through by the woman with seemingly no effort at all. "It seems you managed to avoid that first strike," Said Elsa as Ulric drew his sword, "perhaps this will be more fun than I thought." Ulric didn't have the chance to answer back as Rom charged forward with a large club he pulled from behind the bar.

Ulric and Felt both had to make room as the giant of a man swung his club at their assailant. But Elsa leaped out of the way with seemingly no trouble as she hopped and spun around the room, avoiding one strike after another. The knight attempted to get in a couple of hits of his own, but the woman jumped over his blade and pushed off of his shoulder with her hand, causing him to lose balance temporarily. 'This woman,' he realized, 'this is the bloodthirsty monster that slashed my stomach open last time.'

Rom attempted a wide swing, but Elsa was ready this time, using a well-placed flip, she spun in midair and slashed the back of the old man's neck. "Old man Rom!" exclaimed Felt in disbelief as the large man staggered a few feet forward. Ulric took the opening and swung a few horizontal strikes at Elsa's midsection and head. But she managed to block both of his blows with her strange, ax-like dagger. The wounded Rom attempted to take advantage of this distraction as he raised his club over his head for another strike.

But Elsa was far too quick and jabbed the jagged end of her broken drinking glass she'd managed to scoop up during the fight. Blood spilled from Rom's mouth and throat as he collapsed to his knees, the life leaving his eyes. "No!" Exclaimed Ulric as he attempted a series of slashes against the assassin.

"That's right, I forgot," Elsa said as she dodged and parried several of Ulric's strikes before jabbing back at him with the milk glass. Ulric just managed to dodge it and back away with his sword held up defensively. "Thank you so much for the milk," she said with a smile as she set the ruined glass on the floor.

"You $ $%," Yelled Felt as she finally drew her own dagger. Ulric tried to stop her but the little thief suddenly moved with an incredible speed he'd never seen before.

"Blessed by the wind deities I see," Said Elsa as she barely managed to dodge Felt's strike, "But you lack the skill to use it."

"Felt get away!" Yelled Ulric. But it was too late, as Felt was pulling away, Elsa managed to get a slash in under her guard. The blond thief stumbled and fell onto her back, holding her stomach where she'd been cut.

"Now only one lef-," Elsa was about to say but was interrupted when Ulric slashed at her head. "Still have the will to fight I see, good." The two exchanged blows with Elsa managing to get a couple of cuts in on Ulric's arms and one on his shoulder. 'I need to take her by surprise somehow,' he thought to himself as Elsa spun around and nailed him in the chest with a back kick. The force of the blow knocked him into the bar, causing him to drop his sword in the process.

"This was more fun than I thought," Said Elsa with a wicked smile, "But I'm afraid our time must end." 'Only got one chance at this,' Ulric thought to himself as he pushed away from the bar and positioned his hand near his waist. As the female assassin struck, he moved to the side and slashed her hand with the dagger he'd pulled from the back of his belt. Elsa was so surprised she dropped her weapon as Ulric slashed at her face with the weapon. But once again, her inhuman speed allowed her to escape the blow with only a scratch on her left cheek.

"I must say I'm impressed," Said Elsa as she relaxed her stance for some odd reason, "I never expected a knight, if that's what you are, to use such a trick. Had you been just a bit faster, you might've been the winner." Ulric was about to ask what she meant by that, until he felt a sudden searing pain in his stomach. Glancing down, the knight noted with horror that he'd somehow been slashed across the stomach, yet again. "Of course, you're not the only one with an extra weapon."

It was then that Ulric noticed that she held a second blade in her left hand. 'She pulled it from behind her back after I knocked her first weapon out,' the young knight realized as he suddenly found it very hard to stand. "Don't fight it little knight," cooed Elsa, "Just let it take you, ever so slowly." Ulric gripped his weapon tighter as he forced himself to stand up straight.

"I've died fighting up to this point so far," he said, "And I won't go quietly now!" With a final charge, Ulric rushed the assassin, his resolve once again unwavering in the face of death.

 **The enemy of the half-elf has been revealed, and it's an enemy Ulric may be more than a little hard-pressed to stop as a loop of life and death begins to take hold. What will Ulric's next move be? Hello everyone, sorry this is a little late, been a busy weekend. So I'd like to thank you all for your patience and I hope the quality of the story is still up to everyone's standards. As always, feel free to leave a comment or review to help make this story better. Stop in next time as Ulric figures out his new ability, and some of its drawbacks. 'Til next time.**


	5. The Third Time, Is Still Trouble

**The Third Time, Is Still Trouble**

Kingdom of Lugnica: The Fountain, Again!

'This is the second time it's happened,' he thought to himself as he made his way through the city streets. 'I've felt death's embrace, then that horrid feeling of despair as I fall through blackness until I find myself by the fountain again. What's more, the sun has reset in the sky and everyone else is doing the same things they were doing again!' Ulric had even been forced to repeat saving the little girl from getting crushed by the runaway wagon. 'It's like events are happening again, every time I die I'm sent back to the moment I arrived here, and if that's true then that means I can maybe save more than one life after all.'

The problem was, he needed to find her first. A task which was about as easy as trying to find her insignia in the first place. But logically thinking, if everything was repeating itself, then he'd need only retrace his steps to where he met her the first time, and given that this was the third time he'd been through this place, he was able to reach the alley rather quickly. He approached it from the other side this time, however, knowing he had little time to waste. He managed to arrive just as she was walking down the alley, or rather rushing down it. Ulric had just passed the alley that he'd encountered the lowlifes in when he caught Emilia by the arm.

"You don't want to go down that way," Said Ulric, "Trust me, it's a waste of time."

"And just who are you supposed to be?!" Questioned Emilia as she pulled her arm out of his grasp, "You wear the trappings of a knight but not any banner I've ever seen."

"You don't remember me?" Said Ulric, not as surprised as he thought he'd be about that revelation. "That's unfortunate, I was hoping I'd left some sort of impression."

"I've met many knights," Said Emilia as she placed her hands on her hips, "But I can't say I've ever laid eyes on one like you before, and while I'd like to continue this little chat I'm afraid I have a very pressing matter to attend to." With that, the half-elf turned to leave.

"You mean chasing the thief that made off with your insignia," Said Ulric, "I'm afraid that'll also be a waste of time, she's too fast to catch on foot."

"What, how do you know about that?!" Questioned Emilia as she turned around with a look of startled surprise. "My insignia was stolen hardly an hour ago, have you been spying on me?"

"It's complicated to explain," Said Ulric, "But as it turns out I know the name of the thief that stole your insignia and even better, I know where she's going to be."

"And just how do you know such a thing?" Questioned Emilia, "Better yet, how do I know you're not trying to lead me into a trap?"

"Because I also came to warn you about the assassin who wants your insignia," Replied Ulric. That seemed to grab Emilia's attention. "A demonic woman by the name of Elsa. She'll be waiting when you go to retrieve your insignia and she won't hesitate to kill you." The silver-haired girl thought about what she'd just been told for a few moments.

"I think we can trust him Emilia," Said Puck as the small cat spirit came floating out from behind her hair, "I don't sense any malice in his words, and I doubt someone trying to trap us would give us a warning about an assassination attempt. Besides, the quicker we get that insignia back, the better, and while I don't doubt my abilities in holding off an assassin, it can't hurt to have an extra hand just in case." Emilia seemed to accept this as she turned back to Ulric.

"Alright," she said, "I'll believe you this time, so take me to my insignia. It's rather important that I get it back." Ulric nodded as he began leading the way. "One more thing, what's your name sir knight?"

"Oh of course," Said Ulric, just now remembering that she wouldn't know his name this time around. "Many call me Sir Ulric, but you can just call me Ulric, and for a short while my sword shall be yours, miss-."

"Emilia," the white-haired girl answered, "You may call me Emilia and this is my spirit Puck." The floating cat gave a wave before flying around to sit on Emilia's shoulder. Ulric nodded with a small smile as they continued on their way. 'I know,' he thought to himself, 'And this time, I'll make sure you get that insignia back.'

It was a serious dilemma truthfully. Ulric very much doubted the half-elf would believe him if he tried telling her that he'd seen her die and that he'd died a couple of times himself. But it was his hope that this time, now that he knew the killer's face that Emilia would be able to use her magic without being taken by surprise. In fact, he hoped to take that woman by surprise and manage to kill her before she could react.

It was a plan with a small margin of error. If the woman evaded the initial strike, it would be an uphill struggle to kill her. But Ulric put such things out of his mind for the moment as they continued on to the slums. At one point, they of course had to stop and help a lost little girl, which wasn't near as difficult this time as it was last time thanks to Ulric knowing what her mother and father looked like. When the green-haired merchant asked them if they needed anything, Ulric discreetly told him that if they saw a knight to tell them that there would be trouble in the slums.

"What was that about?" Questioned Emilia as Ulric and the merchant finished conversing.

"Just taking him up on his offer to repay us," Replied Ulric, "I asked him to let any knights they saw know that there was trouble in the slums."

"Are you really expecting that much trouble from a single assassin?" Questioned Emilia, "You know who she is and where she's going to be. All you have to do is point her out and Puck and I can handle the rest."

"It never hurts to be prepared," Said Ulric, "It's not every day one knowingly walks into the den of an assassin. Personally, I doubt any of the knights around here will come down to the slums, but if one does happen to do so, it can only help us right?"

"It's hard to argue when you put it that way," Said Emilia as she adjusted the flower in her hair while they walked. "But in the end, so long as I get my insignia back I have no complaints. Just don't get us lost Sir Ulric."

"Oh trust me," replied Ulric as they ventured on, "I've walked this particular path a couple of times now. I doubt I'll be forgetting it any time soon."

The Slums near the Loot House

'There it is again,' thought Ulric as they approached. 'After years of war, the only things that really made me feel trepidation anymore was the sight of another army marching across the field or a warrior that I knew was better. It's been a long while since a building's made me feel this uneasy.' The little party of three walked up to the door of the loot house as Ulric stepped in front of Emilia. "If we're lucky, we've gotten here early," Said Ulric, "So we go in, get your insignia and get out. That should present us with the least amount of trouble."

"You mean you don't know for sure that the assassin's in there?" Questioned Emilia with a raised eyebrow.

"I know roughly when she'll show up," Replied Ulric, "So the sooner we do this, the better!" The knight finished his sentence by kicking in the door.

"Hey, what in the world's your problem?!" Called the familiar voice of old man Rom, "Can't a man enjoy his afternoon booze in peace?!"

"Apologies for interrupting," Said Ulric as his eyes darted around the room, noting that Felt was also sitting at the bar. But there was no sign of Elsa. "I've simply come for a quick bit of business."

"Then you could've just knocked," Said Felt with a sigh, "Jeez, I thought we were being raided for a second."

"Well no," Said Ulric as he finished looking around the room, "But there is something we want." The knight then signaled to Emilia that it was okay to enter. The look on Felt's face turned from surprise to one of annoyance.

"Oh it's you again," Said Felt as Emilia walked in, "Can't you just give up already. Or better yet, outbid my client."

"I'm afraid that insignia is too important for me to give up on so easily," Said Emilia in a voice that possessed plenty of authority, "Me and Sir Ulric have come here with a single demand." The half-elf held her hand up, forming six large ice shards which hung in the air, awaiting the command to shoot forward. "Return my insignia and we won't harm you." Ulric smirked at the scene, though more out of relief than actual joy at the thieves' dilemma.

'I'm glad I decided not to try and kill her after meeting her,' he thought to himself, 'As opposed to all the wielders of so-called magic back home, this one possesses some actual power.' "I think I'm gonna have to back down from this fight," Said Rom as he settled himself back down behind the bar.

"What, don't go surrendering just like that!" Exclaimed Felt as her grip tightened on her knife.

"If she was an ordinary magic user I'd go in swinging," Said Rom, "But this young lady is an elf, isn't that right?" Emilia let out a sigh, obviously not liking to discuss this subject.

"I'm just a half-elf," Said Emilia finally. A look of fear suddenly crossed Felt's face at that statement.

"Wait, a half-elf with white hair, you couldn't be-," Felt stammered out before she was interrupted by Emilia.

"My resemblance is merely a coincidence," Said Emilia dismissively, "Truly it's quite a bother that I look like this."

"She's still got more than enough magic to level this little place," Said Ulric, lending to Emilia's already intimidating display, "So the best thing for the both of you would be to return what you stole. Believe me Felt, you won't be able to handle the trouble that thing is going to bring."

"How in the world do you know my name?" Questioned Felt, now confused on top of everything else.

"The same way I know-," Ulric caught the movement out of the corner of his eye. "Emilia on your right!" The white-haired girl barely had time to turn her head before a shadow leapt toward her with a drawn blade. But at the last second, a shield shaped like a snowflake sprang up and deflected the blade, causing the assailant to leap back and move to the center of the room.

"That was closer than I meant it to be," Said Puck as he peaked out with a thumbs up. "Thanks for the warning."

"I'm simply glad I warned you in time," Said Ulric as he drew his sword and faced the now familiar assailant, at least to him. "I had no idea you could do that." 'And I'm also glad I was glancing at the door the whole time waiting for her.'

"A spirit like me can do more than float around and look cute," Said Puck as they all stood and faced the newcomer.

"Oh a spirit," said Elsa as she grinned evilly, "I've never gotten to cut open the stomach of a spirit before."

"What do you think you're doing?" Questioned Felt, now more alarmed and confused than ever, "I thought you were just coming to buy it."

"Well obviously it's impossible to negotiate if the owner is here and trying to get her little item back," Replied Elsa as she examined her blade, "So I'm going with my secondary plan and slaughtering everyone here."

"Maybe if you had the element of surprise like before," Said Ulric as he brandished his sword "But things aren't going to work out quite that way this time around. So ordinarily I'd ask the lady to surrender, but I doubt you will anyway, so all I've got to say now is that it's time for you to die monster." 'And I really hope I can back that up,' thought Ulric, 'we didn't catch her by surprise like I wanted, but we still have a chance if we take her on together.'

"Monster you say," Replied Elsa with a small laugh, "Not at all, I simply enjoy dissecting my prey. And you all look especially exquisite." The woman licked her lips at the thought of cutting open their stomachs. With the stage set once more, the battle began.

 **Ulric has chosen to face the deadly assassin once again in hopes of saving Emilia, and possibly a couple of other lives. But even with numbers and a wielder of magic on their side, will it be enough? Hello everyone, hope you enjoyed the chapter, and for those of you wondering 'why cut it off here?' The main reason is that the upcoming fight is gonna be rather lengthy, so be prepared. Also, thank you all for your continued support and feel free to leave a comment or review about what you liked and what you didn't like so much. Stop in next time as Ulric and Emilia fight a deadly battle of attrition against the lethal assassin. 'Til next time.**


	6. A Sword Master of Lugnica

**A Sword Master of Lugnica**

The Loot House in the Slums

The atmosphere was tense as everyone seemed to be waiting for the slightest twitch. That moment came when Elsa made the first step forward. Ulric moved in front of Emilia as the assassin crossed the room in hardly a second with a ferocious horizontal strike. But having seen the same attack before, Ulric was able to parry the blow and counter attack with a strike of his own.

Elsa was no fool, however, as she dodged around his blade and swung at his neck. Ulric parried this blow as well in what became a short but vicious exchange of slashes. As before, Elsa's speed was overwhelming and before long she managed to parry and counter with another strike aimed at his stomach. Ulric just managed to step back and use his sword to redirect the blow, but left himself wide open to a kick in his midsection which sent him stumbling back into the bar.

As Elsa was advancing on him, a few ice shards forced her to back up. "Sorry for the wait Sir Ulric," Said Puck, "We needed time to gather mana for this little trick." As the floating cat spirit spoke, a mass of ice crystals formed in the air above him and Emilia. "As for you little girl, the name's Puck, so remember it on the way to your grave!" The mass of ice crystals were all sent flying at the assassin at once, creating quite an impact as dust and shattered crystals were kicked up, obscuring everyone's view.

"Did it work?" Asked Old man Rom, clearly amazed as what he'd just witnessed. Ulric could hardly believe it himself as he stared at the block of ice that had formed in the center of the room. That was, until it disappeared, revealing the smiling assassin shielding herself with her cloak.

"It's always good to be prepared," remarked Elsa as her cloak, which had apparently had a bit of its own magic, disappeared. She then proceeded to lunge at Emilia, who blocked the strike with an ice barrier.

"Don't take a user of the spirit arts lightly," Emilia said as Puck began shooting one ice shard after another at Elsa in quick succession. The nimble assassin flipped backwards several times before moving around the room in a series of acrobatic maneuvers, avoiding every shard that came her way.

"You're quite accustomed to fighting aren't you," Said Puck as he continued firing ice shards, "I must say, impressive for a girl."

"It's been some time since anyone has referred to me as a mere girl," Said Elsa as she leapt off a wall and continued moving around the room to avoid the ice shards. 'I can't find a good opening,' Ulric thought to himself, 'If I rush out now I'd be just as likely to get speared by one of the shards as I would be to get my stomach cut open again.'

"I'm centuries old," Said Puck as he continued firing, "Most people are infants from my viewpoint. That being said, you're among one of the more skilled humans I've met."

"I suppose I should be honored," Said Elsa as she began deflecting some of the shards, "I've never been praised by a spirit." The exchange continued as Ulric tried to think of what to do next. It was then that he noticed the sun was going down. 'Oh no,' he thought as he realized something crucial, 'Puck can't stay around much longer. If they don't kill this $$% soon, we might be in trouble.'

Fortunately, Puck had been paying attention to the time as well and had a plan of his own in the works. As Elsa moved around another barrage of ice crystals, her foot was suddenly caught in a batch of ice crystals on the ground. "I wasn't just shooting these around at random," Said Puck, "I haven't got much time left so it's best if we wrap this up now." The spirit and his master both put their hands up then as they gathered their mana and fired a large mass of jagged ice at their foe. Just as it was about to hit, the assassin leapt out of the way.

"Oh my," Said Elsa, still wearing her same, sadistic smile, "Just a second slower and I would've died." The killer had managed to pry her foot out of the ice at the last moment, tearing off not only her shoe but the whole layer of skin around it as well.

"Well it seems I may have underestimated her a little bit," Said Puck with a yawn.

"Are you able to keep fighting Puck," Questioned Emilia without taking her eyes off of the assassin.

"I'm afraid my time is up," Said Puck, "I have to return to my crystal for now. But remember, if things get too tough, summon me again."

"I can handle things from here," Said Emilia, "You get some rest for the time being." Puck nodded as he disappeared back into his crystal.

"Ah, gone already," Said Elsa with a bit of disappointment as she cut off a shard of the ice and pressed it to her wounded foot. "And we were having so much fun too." Emilia didn't respond as she formed another barrier and a large, floating shard of ice. But Elsa wasn't about to let her form it fully and shot forward with her weapon held over her head. Fortunately, Ulric was able to move in front and block her blade with his sword, forcing her to move around them and strike from the side.

But Emilia was able to block with her now fully formed barrier as she and Ulric stood back to back. The assassin continued to leap and circle around them, striking at any point she thought was vulnerable. Ulric and Emilia blocked her at every turn, but each time she got a little closer and struck even more viciously over time. 'We need to shift the odds somehow,' thought Ulric, 'We can only defend for so long before one of us makes a mistake.'

As it turned out, it was Emilia who made the first error. When Elsa came in for another strike, she feigned striking high before spinning around and kicking the half-elf in the side, sending her into the bar. Ulric was able to react in time and force the assassin back with a few swings of his sword. The maniacal woman retreated and was about to strike again when Rom finally charged in with his club held high.

"How rude," Said Elsa as she flipped out of the way, practically flowing around Rom's strikes, "Cutting in on someone else's dance like this."

"I'll show you some real dancing," Said Rom as he wound up for a massive strike. With one wide swing, the old man smashed most of the ice which had accumulated at one side of the room. But it wasn't near fast enough to catch someone like Elsa.

"Rom, move away!" Yelled Ulric as Rom's target was standing on top of his club.

"My, how strong you are," Elsa said as she raised her weapon, "Being able to hold me up while I do this!"

"NO!" yelled Felt as she threw her own knife which bounced off of Elsa's blade. It didn't stop the strike but it did move it off course enough to not be fatal when the blade slashed his neck. The giant of a man collapsed from the blow as Elsa turned her attention to the one who interfered.

"What a naughty girl," She said, "I was going to get to you, but since you insist, you're next." Elsa launched herself towards the frightened girl but was intercepted by Ulric as he once again stopped her blow with his own weapon.

"Felt," Said Ulric as he parried another few blows from Elsa, "Run and if you can, get help. We'll hold her here."

"But I can't just," Felt was about to say when Elsa skirted around Ulric and tried rushing at her. But the knight was ready for her maneuver this time and managed to kick her in the side. The assassin stumbled a bit as Ulric moved in front of her again.

"If you don't, we'll all die for sure," Said Ulric as he swung low a couple of times, forcing Elsa to flip backwards. The thief still looked unsure, but did as instructed and ran for the door.

"As if I'd allow that," Said Elsa as she reached for a throwing knife, only to have an ice shard nearly hit her. The annoyed assassin looked over, noting that Emilia had managed to get back on her feet. The distraction was more than enough to allow Felt to escape. "Now look, one's gotten away."

"You won't be killing anyone today," Said Emilia as she fired a few more shards at Elsa who deflected them easily.

"This game has gotten a bit bothersome," Said Elsa, "I think it's time we wrapped this up." The assassin leapt towards Ulric once again, all manner of playfulness gone from her movements. The knight did his best to hold off her vicious assault, parrying and blocking. At one point, he attacked during a lull in her onslaught, only for her to leap over the strike and slash him on the shoulder. The knight reacted by swinging where she landed.

But the assassin parried the strike and cut his upper left arm, forcing him to move back. The assassin then moved around to his left side, insuring that he was between her and Emilia, making it impossible for her to fire any ice shards without risking hitting Ulric as well. In an effort to surprise his opponent, Ulric let his guard slip a little when her blade hit his, causing the assassin to stumble forward as he punched her in the face with his left hand. Elsa let out a small shriek as she managed to swing her weapon blindly and slash Ulric's left leg. The knight stumbled backwards from the attack, leaving Elsa an opening to cut his head open.

But just as she was about to, a rather unexpected occurrence happened. Someone crashed through the ceiling of the loot house. "It seems I made it in time," said a red-haired man wearing a large white coat which nearly went to his feet, black gloves and white pants. But the most striking feature about the man, was the highly decorated sword he wore on his side.

"That red hair and that blade," Said Elsa with yet another smile gracing her lips, "Am I by chance in the presence of the sword master from a long line of sword masters, the great Reinhard?"

"I am indeed," said the swordsman with a smile of his own, "And you, a black haired woman wielding a blade found in the Northern provinces. You must be the infamous bowel hunter, Elsa. But unless you surrender, your infamy shall end today."

"And miss out on the chance to carve up such juicy prey," Said Elsa with a wicked smile, "Don't be so naïve."

"Very well," Said Reinhard as he glanced at Ulric. "Young knight, I'd advise you move back over to where the young lady is at." Elsa took this moment of distraction to try charging at the sword master, only for him to create a shockwave of sorts by slamming his foot on the floor, slowing her attack before kicking her away. "You shouldn't underestimate your opponent," Said Reinhard.

"You seem to be underestimating me," Said Elsa as she resumed her stance, "I've noticed you haven't drawn your weapon."

"If the circumstances demanded it," Said Reinhard, "My blade would've left its sheath already. Since it hasn't, I will likely not draw it now. But since you seem to insist," The swordsman gestured towards Ulric, "Would you mind lending me your weapon?"

"Fine, just take it," Said Ulric as he tossed his sword to Reinhard, "And make sure you kill her with it."

"I do hope I can meet such expectations," replied Reinhard as he turned back to Elsa, "Now then, will this do?"

"It will do wonderfully," Said Elsa as a look of pure joy and insanity crossed her face, "Now entertain me!" The assassin moved like a black wind as she swung towards the newcomer. But whoever this Reinhard was, he deserved his reputation. He seemed to easily deflect each and every strike from the bowel hunter with his expression showing no signs of concern. Elsa changed her tactics and started jumping off one wall to strike, then another, and another.

'I had my work cut out for me from the start,' thought Ulric as he moved towards Emilia, who was holding her hands over Rom's cut on his neck. She was emitting a type of green light, which Ulric was certain was another form of magic. "I hope this great swordsman is all he's cracked up to be," Ulric said as he watched the two of them exchanging blows at an incredible speed. For some reason, Reinhard only seemed to be parrying his opponent's blows.

"I'm afraid he's not fighting as seriously as he could be," Said Emilia, "He's waiting on me to finish healing this one."

"What exactly does your healing have to do with his sword technique," Questioned Ulric with a good bit of confusion.

"His most powerful attacks use mana," Said Emilia, "If he were fighting seriously, all of the mana in this room would be going towards him. But I'm almost done healing this wound, so when I give the signal, let Reinhard know it's okay to go all out." Ulric was still very confused but he nodded his head anyway. The light from Emilia's hands lasted another few moments as the cut closed up completely. The half-elf then gave a nod.

"Reinhard," Called Ulric, "You can quit playing around now, finish this!" The swordsman nodded as he took a more pronounced fighting stance and, if Ulric wasn't seeing things, his own sword was glowing. Elsa halted her assault in curiosity as she watched the change in his demeanor. It was then that a pressure seemed to fill the room as the glow got brighter and brighter.

"This is how the Astrea family wields a sword," Said Reinhard as a mass of light suddenly sprang from the sword, making it practically impossible to see as he swung towards the bowel hunter. Ulric instinctively moved to shield Emilia as the resulting blast completely annihilated the back half of the loot house while also sending dust and debris in all directions. 'A master swordsman from this world, is capable of doing something like that!' Ulric thought with astonishment.

"What kind of sword play is that supposed to be," Exclaimed Ulric, "You destroyed this place!"

"A special technique of the Astrea family," replied Reinhard, "Though it seems I must apologize, it was a bit much for your sword." He emphasized his point by holding up Ulric's sword, before it crumpled to dust in his hands. The young knight let out a sigh, a bit disappointed that the weapon which had managed to help him fight through much of the crusades was now dust.

"I suppose it can't be helped," Ulric finally said as he lent a hand to Emilia, "If that's what it took to finally kill that monster."

"You make it sound like you've encountered her before," Said Emilia with a questioning look.

"It's a bit of a story," Said Ulric, "Let's just say I've experienced her work up close and personal."

"Well fortunately for the both of you," Said Reinhard as Felt entered the room, "Your little friend led me here. What was the reason that assassin was here in the first place?"

"Oh right," Said Ulric as he stepped forward, "We still need that insignia-." A sudden shifting of the rubble drew his attention. "Oh you can't be seri-." The mass of boards burst open as the wounded form of Elsa charged out with her blade aimed at Emilia. Ulric reacted on instinct and moved in front of the woman with his dagger drawn. The force of the blow knocked him over as Elsa glared angrily at the knight.

"Still getting in my way," Seethed Elsa as Reinhard stood between them and her. The assassin reacted by tossing her blade which missed and landed next to Ulric. "Don't think this is over," She remarked as she leapt onto a large stack of rubble, "I'll be seeing you all again, so take care of your insides til then." She then made her exit by quickly leaping and climbing out of the destroyed roof.

"Are you both alright," Questioned Reinhard with a note of concern in his voice.

"I'm fine," Said Emilia, "I'd be more concerned about Ulric over there."

"I appreciate the concern," Said Ulric as he staggered to his feet, "But I've survived worse than a blow like that." The knight dusted himself off as he picked up Elsa's blade and tucked it in his belt.

"Are you really sure you want to keep something like that?" Questioned Emilia, "I never took you for the trophy collecting type."

"It's just temporary," Said Ulric, "I'll need something to tie me over until I can get a proper sword again. After all, thanks to this whole incident all I have left is this dagger and-." Ulric stopped speaking when he noticed his dagger was missing a good bit of its blade. It was shortly after that that his chain mail on his chest split open and a large gash appeared. "Well $ $ and I was so close to-."

The pain of the wound suddenly hit him as he collapsed on the floor, unconsciousness taking over. 'Maybe the third time isn't always the best,' he thought to himself before his eyes closed completely.

 **Whew, that was a lengthy fight. But finally the assassin is dealt with, for the time being anyway. But what condition does this leave Ulric in? Well you'll just have to read the next chapter to find that out. In the mean time, I hope you all enjoyed this latest chapter and feel free to leave whatever reviews or comments about what you think I can do to make this story better. Stop in next time as the knight again awakens to an unfamiliar setting.**


	7. A Mansion, Master, And Servants

**A Mansion, Master, And Servants**

Unknown Mansion

The best way he could think to describe how he felt right now, was sore, very sore. The knight groaned as his eyes fluttered open to stare at a rather immaculate ceiling. 'I don't believe I'm dead,' he thought to himself as he sat up in the rather lavish bed he'd been placed in. Checking himself over, he noticed that his chainmail had been removed and that he'd been put in a grey robe of sorts. On the plus side, however, he did note that the large cut he'd received on his stomach was gone.

"So much for adding another scar to the collection," Ulric thought aloud as he got out of the bed. 'Now where am I and where's everyone else?' He took a moment to check around for his weapons, noticing that they weren't anywhere in sight, he decided to take a look outside. Pushing the door to his room open, he found himself in a rather immaculate white hallway which was lit by lamps and a number of strange blue lanterns. As he made his way down the hallway, he also noted the red rug and lovely picture on the wall.

'This is a rather long hallway,' Ulric noted as he continued to walk, 'I knew Emilia was certainly well off, but I doubt I've ever seen a mansion as decorated as this one.' The walk down the hallway kept going on and on. In fact, Ulric noticed something rather strange. Looking to his right, he saw the same picture he'd passed a few minutes before. 'There's something off about this place, I know I've seen this part of the hallway before. Is this more of that strange magic that seems to run through this world?' Deciding to go with a different approach, Ulric tried one of the doors.

Amazingly, the door was unlocked and opened easily, into a rather large library. "Okay," Said Ulric as he looked at the many shelves lined with books, "It seems my hostess enjoys reading among other things."

"I also enjoy peace and quiet when I read," said a voice, causing Ulric to jump a bit. Looking down, the knight spied a little girl in an extravagant, long-sleeved red dress with a small red cape around her shoulders. Of course, what really caught Ulric's attention was the ridiculous hairstyle she was sporting. Somehow, the little girl had managed to grow her hair to several feet and then had them tied with bows so they spiraled out on either side of her head.

"My apologies," Ulric finally said, "I'm afraid I'm a little lost. Where exactly is your mistress?"

"One like Betty has no master or mistress," Said the girl as she closed the book she'd been reading, "She has those she has contracted with and those she has not, I suppose."

"Alright, better question then young one," Said Ulric, still a bit confused by the way this little girl was acting. "Is the one who brought me here, Emilia, still around? I need to speak with her."

"As I have said," stated the girl, standing up, "My name is Betty and I am not a 'young one.' A being such as myself has been in this world for centuries. But, if it means Betty will get some peace and quiet to read, then Betty shall assist you, I suppose." The little girl raised her hand up then.

"Is there a reason you keep talking like-WOOOOH!" The young knight was suddenly flung out of the room by some invisible force, which he assumed was due to some magic this Betty person was using, and into a wall. "Ah, I could still be injured you blasted heathen," Said Ulric as he rubbed his back.

"It seems our guess has awakened sister," said a female voice to Ulric's left.

"And it seems he's already causing trouble Rem," said an almost identical female voice. Ulric turned his attention to the voices and beheld two girls who were practically twins, save for one had blue hair and the other had pink hair. Both of them were also dressed in identical black and white outfits with what looked like caps one would wear for cleaning. 'Alright,' Ulric thought, 'Things in this mansion just keep getting stranger and stranger.'

"Do you really believe he is a knight dear sister?" Questioned the one with blue hair.

"If he is, he's a rather poor one, don't you think Rem?" Replied the one with red hair.

"I am standing right here," Said Ulric with a hint of annoyance in his voice, "If you have something you wish to say to me, quit veiling it with petty insults and say it already. Otherwise, I've got more important business to take care of."

"He does indeed doesn't he sister," said the blue-haired one, who Ulric assumed was Rem.

"Such as getting himself a proper sword," Said the red-haired one with a dismissive tone, "Quite embarrassing for him Rem." Ulric quirked an eyebrow at their continued attitude until Emilia entered the room.

"Now that's enough of that you two," Said Emilia, "I've brought him here as our guest, so at least treat him with some respect."

"Of course my sister apologizes Miss Emilia," responded Rem with a slight bow.

"Rem is also sorry," said the red-haired servant with a similar bow before they both exited the room. Ulric simply shook his head as he turned back to Emilia, who was dressed in a more casual pink dress today.

"How are you feeling today sir knight," asked Emilia, "Does anything else hurt or feel unusual?"

"Nothing so far," replied Ulric as he stretched his arms out a little, "I suppose I have you and that healing magic to thank for the fact that I'm still alive."

"If there's anyone who's thankful, it's me," Said Emilia, "I know you're a knight but your loyalties lie with another kingdom. Despite that, you helped me anyway, so for that I'm incredibly grateful."

"Well unemployed I may be," Said Ulric as he rubbed the back of his head, "But I am still a knight and I still have my code to abide by. But either way, I'm glad I was of some use to someone."

"No need to downplay it," Said Puck as he flew out from behind Emilia's hair, "You suffered that wound from saving Emilia's life. To be honest I can't thank you enough for it, so if you ever need a favor, feel free to let me know."

"Ah good morning Puck," Said Emilia as she held out her hands for the cat spirit to land in, "I'm sorry I put you through all that yesterday."

"It's fine," Said Puck, "I was more worried about you, I mean how close that assassin came to slicing you up was gut-wrenching, if you'll pardon the expression."

"Let's just not mention guts or bowels for a little while," Said Ulric, "After running into someone who specializes in cutting up that spot, I'm not too eager to think about it. As for the favor, Emilia healed my wound and brought me here so I feel as though we should be even."

"But you forgot that you also helped get her insignia back," Said Puck, "So there's still that to consider."

"Well if you really insist, I'll see if I can think of something," Said Ulric as a knock on the door drew their attention.

"Lord and Master Roswaal has returned from his business," Said the twin maids, who had returned from whatever business they had been attending too. "He wishes for you both to join him in the dining room."

"A friend of yours?" Questioned Ulric as he turned back to his half-elf friend, "I'm afraid I'll need a minute, given I'm not really presentable for company."

"Of Course," Said Emilia as she shooed the two servants out of the room, "We've gotten some clothes ready for you over in the wardrobe. I'll lead you around the mansion once you're ready." With a final nod, Ulric was left alone in the room to change into a new outfit. It wasn't much, in his opinion, just some light brown pants, brown boots, a white tunic and a type of blue jacket to go over it. But all things considered, it would do until Ulric got his chainmail back.

Looking himself over in the mirror in the corner of the room, the young knight decided this was about as presentable as he was going to get before stepping out into the hallway. "Well that's fortunate," Said Emilia, "We managed to size you correctly."

"I've spent so many days in armor and chainmail," Said Ulric, "It's almost strange when I remove it nowadays. But that's how war is, always be vigilant."

"Well despite what we both lived through," Said Emilia, "There's no war here at the moment, now this way." Ulric followed Emilia and the two maids down the hallway towards the dining room, a walk which actually took a few minutes as Ulric realized this mansion was nearly the size of a castle. But eventually, they finally reached the large and well-decorated dining room.

"You really are a strange one aren't you," said a familiar voice as Ulric looked to the right to see the little, child-like monster Betty. The knight flinched involuntarily at her presence, wondering if she would send him flying again.

"Relax Mr. Ulric," Said Betty with a dismissive wave of her hand, "The only thing you really have to worry about right now is your own cluelessness."

"Well where I come from, little girls don't send soldiers flying with a wave of their hands," Said Ulric.

"Hey Betty," Said Puck with a wave, "Been four days since I've seen you, are things going well?"

"PUCKY!" Squealed Betty, acting for the first time in a way Ulric expected someone of her looks to be acting. "I've been waiting so eagerly for your return, can we spend the day together?!"

"Sure thing," Said Puck as he floated down into her hands, "Today will be all about us hanging out." The spirit ended his sentence with a wink. Betty continued to squeal happily as she made off with the little spirit.

"My my, what an occuuuuuurrence~," said a rather flamboyant voice. Looking over, Ulric had to blink a couple of times to make sure he wasn't seeing things. The man before them was dressed in an extravagant purple outfit with a purple and red cape. But what was most unusual was the man's face, which was so pale it was probably covered with makeup, as well as purple marks over his eyes and some kind of purple lipstick on his mouth. To top it off, he had long blue hair which reached past his shoulders and a bang which covered his right eye.

"It is so raaaare~ to see you out and about, and much less diiiining~ with us Beatrice," said the man, "I'm quite thrilled to see you and I dooooo~ so value a chance for us to spend time together."

"Betty was only waiting here to see Pucky," she replied in what was now a rather familiar tone to Ulric.

"I, uh, thought you said there were no gypsies in this land," Ulric whispered to Emilia.

"He's not a gypsy, what even is that?" Replied Emilia, "He's actually-."

"Now that's quite alright Miss Emilia," said the man, "Allow me to handle introduuuucing~ myself to our guest." Ulric quirked an eyebrow as the man paused for effect. "I am Roswaal L. Mathers, the lord of this manor. Pleaaaaased~ to make your acquaintance Sir Ulric."

"Oh, uh my apologies lord Roswaal," Said Ulric with a bit of a bow, "I meant no offense, I was merely unaware that is was you."

"As I said it's quite alright," replied Roswaal, "Now please, let us eaaaat~." Everyone was in agreement on that as Ulric took a seat next to Emilia while Betty sat across from her. Roswaal, of course, sat at the head of the table while Rem and her sister stood on either side of him. The first few minutes were simply everyone sipping at their soup, but soon enough, the lord of the mansion broke the silence.

"So I'm told you hail from a faraway country Mr. Ulric," Said Roswaal, "And not only that. For whatever reason, you have little knowledge of the commonly known fooooorces~ of this world or the state of Lugnica."

"I've seen when a land is in trouble or at war," Said Ulric as he sipped some more of his soup, "From what I can tell here, this land is prospering rather well. Or at the very least, if there is a war, it's not here."

"Well we're not at war per se," said Roswaal, "But the country iiiiiis~ faced with its own dire situation. You see, this country currently lacks a king." Ulric quirked an eyebrow at that realization.

"Is this common knowledge?" Questioned Ulric, "It would be one thing if the people believed there still was a king and went about their lives. But if everyone knows there isn't a king, then who in the world is keeping order right now? Better yet, how did the country find itself in such a situation in the first place?"

"No need to be so alarmed," Said Roswaal, "The people of this country are weeeell~ aware of the situation at hand, but order is being maintained by a council of eeeeelders~ and wise men. As for how it came to be this way, that's more of a mystery. You see, some time ago an eeeeeepidemic~ spread throughout the king's castle about the same time he went into hiding, leaving only him and his children as the remaining members of the royal family. Currently, the cooooouncil~ is in the process of selecting a new ruler."

"So the country's not in turmoil then," Said Ulric, "Merely in a state of confusion during this royal election. Which would also be a good opportunity for anyone wanting to undermine the country to slip in and cause trouble. Wait, you don't think that's why I'm here do you?"

"It is a little suspicious," Said Roswaal, still keeping his usual gleeful tone, "Upon your suppooooosed~ first day here you manage to run into Miss Emilia and make a direct connection to my household."

"As hard as it may be to believe," Said Ulric, "All of that was sheer dumb luck, if you really wanna call it that. I happened to stumble upon her when a group of thugs were unwisely trying to rob her and did what a knight is supposed to do. Though if it helps, assuming my country is even aware of the existence of this country, we're too busy warring with heretics and infidels to keep ahold of our own holy city to really worry about anyone else. Though I do have one question that's been eating away at me. What exactly is Emilia's status in this country, given that you're the lord of this manor, what does that make her?"

"Well," Emilia said, "My current title is candidate for the 42nd ruler of this country, backed by the honorable Margrave Roswaal." Ulric didn't say anything for a moment before vacating his seat and kneeling on the floor.

"Your highness," He said, "Forgive me, had I known you were royalty I would've been far more cautious. Please also forgive me for any disrespect I may have shown you."

"Please, there's no need to be so formal," Said Emilia, waving her hands in a slight panic, "There was nothing wrong with the way you were acting before. So please, have a seat and allow me to explain how the process works." Ulric nodded as he took his seat again. Emilia pulled out the insignia that Felt had stolen and placed it on the table. Ulric noted a faint glow from the jewel in the center. "This insignia is what qualifies a person to be a candidate for a ruler, it's a mystic touch stone that judges whether or not someone is worthy to sit on the throne of Lugnica."

"So you're telling me what I helped you get back wasn't just an insignia but the very marker used for identifying you as a candidate," Said Ulric, "It's little wonder someone was hired to steal it. A stone like that would be invaluable to the owner and would be perfect to hold as a ransom. Or even worse, someone doesn't want you on the throne and the best way they could think to do that was to have it stolen."

"A likely and also dreaaaaaadful~ scenario," Said Roswaal, "If she had lost it, her caaaaaandidacy~ would've been all but finished. The elders would most ceeeeertainly~ not entrust the rulings of the country to someone who isn't even able to keep up with a tiiiiiny~ insignia."

"Well it certainly makes a lot more sense now why we had to go through all that just to get it back," Said Ulric with a slight laugh, "Deus Vult indeed."

"And of cooooourse~ that means the reward is great as well," Said Roswaal with both arms raised, "Simply make a request, any request and it shaaaaall~ be fulfilled!"

"Well I have actually been giving that some thought," Said Ulric as he crossed his arms, "But I wasn't sure who to ask until now." The knight paused for a moment, trying to think of how best to phrase his request. "You see, there's a lot I don't know about this world, and what's more, the dangers of this place are far different than anything I've ever had to face. So if I'm going to survive here, especially as a knight, I need to learn all I can about fighting like one of your sword masters. So my request is this, teach me how to combat the creatures of this world, so that the next time a heretic raises their blade against me or any of you, I can cut them down!"

 **And so the plot moves forward as Ulric begins to acquire the knowledge he needs to make it in this strange magical world. Hello there everyone, hope you enjoyed the chapter. Things will be slowing down a little bit for a chapter or two, but don't think that means Ulric will necessarily be relaxing during this time. So as always, feel free to leave your comments and reviews about what you thought of the chapter and if you've got any ideas to make it better. Stop in next time as Ulric learns some new skills, and learns to deal with the strange staff of the Roswaal mansion. 'Til next time.**


	8. Puck's Guide to Wielding Mana

**Puck's Guide to Wielding Mana**

Roswaal Manor Grounds

The air was pleasant as Ulric went through a few dagger motions and basic footwork. It had taken a little work, but he'd managed to convince Emilia to give him the purple-bladed weapon that he'd retrieved from the assassin, Elsa. Roswaal had assured him that the purchasing of a new sword would be easy, but after seeing what Reinhard had done to his previous weapon, Ulric had declined and assured him that what he currently had would be sufficient. 'No sense in making them buy me a new weapon every time I destroy one,' thought Ulric, 'It'd be best if I got a hold of how this magic works before I try running it through a weapon.'

The knight went through another couple of forms before his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. "You're up quite early sir knight," said Emilia as she approached. She'd taken to wearing her pink dress once again for whatever reason, not that Ulric could complain.

"I'm used to rising early for training," said Ulric as he tucked the weapon back into his belt, "Father would always threaten to dump cold water on me to wake me up, back when I was a squire. Now it just comes naturally, at least on the days when I'm not waking up from numerous wounds."

"Well that shouldn't become a normal occurrence around here," Said Emilia as she touched the jewel hanging around her neck. "Alright Puck, I think it's about time we got started." The jewel responded by glowing briefly before the now familiar cat materialized.

"Good morning Emilia," Said Puck as he rubbed his eyes a bit, "Is it time to get up already?"

"If it helps, you'll be teaching beginning magic," Said Emilia, "Something I'm certain you can do even when you're half asleep."

"You're not wrong," Replied Puck as he stretched before floating into the air, "But, given that I'm helping out your friend, he deserves my undivided attention."

"So how should we start?" Questioned Ulric, "Is there a book of spells that you draw your power from or a mystical amulet?"

"Those won't be necessary," Said Puck with a wave of his hand, "The first thing you need is to understand the fundamentals of how magic itself works, and how a person is able to use it."

"It has something to do with mana if I recall," Said Ulric as he put a hand to his chin.

"Correct," Said Puck, "You see, unlike the spiritual arts where you sign contracts with spirits, a magic user employs their gate."

"You mentioned that before as well," Said Ulric, "What exactly is this 'gate'?"

"It is the pathway within the body through which one draws in mana and then expels it outward," said Puck, curling his tail into a circle to emphasize his point, "Everyone's gate also has a natural attribute, such as fire, water, earth, or air. So, our first step will be to figure out your attribute."

"And what would finding out my attribute entail?" Questioned Ulric with a raised eyebrow.

"In this case, my tail," said Puck, proud of his little joke as he floated close to Ulric and pressed said appendage against his forehead. Puck started making a strange sort of chanting sound then as his tail began to glow against his forehead. "I have determined your attribute. It seems you're of the light attribute." Ulric actually let out a chuckle at that revelation.

"Light you say," Said Ulric as he examined his hand before making a fist, "How fitting, a crusader wielding a divine ray."

"Well if it helps you concentrate, I suppose you can think of it that way," Said Puck.

"I personally agree with Ulric," Said Emilia, "It really is quite fitting that someone of a noble heart would wield light magic. Especially considering that light magic includes several spells that allow one to strengthen their body and physical abilities."

"Please, you think too highly of me," Said Ulric with a bow, "I am simply a knight following his code of chivalry as best he can. I have not always succeeded in that endeavor." An uneasy silence followed that statement until Puck broke it with a simple change of subject.

"Anyway, let's try casting your first spell," said Puck as he signaled for them to follow him, "Beginner's usually require a little bit of help at first, so I'll act as a type of support to keep the flow stable. In this way, the magic will be flowing through your own gate. Emilia, stand back just in case his magic goes crazy and explodes." Emilia nodded her head and stepped, several feet away.

"You never mentioned the possibility of me exploding," Said Ulric, "That's not something that happens often is it?"

"You just need to relax and let your mana flow," said Puck as he landed on Ulric's head, "Now let's start with a basic light spell, Jiwald. In order to use it, first visualize the mana gathering and flowing through your body and then direct it out of your gate." Ulric did as instructed as he slowed his breathing and formed a picture in his mind of the mana. To him, it seemed as if he was watching a glowing, blue sea of light with several waves heading towards an opening.

As the waves reached the gate, Ulric spoke the words. "JIWALD!" Exclaimed the knight with a good bit of force in his voice. At first, nothing happened, energy surged through his body as blue light escaped from his form. "Is this supposed to happen?!" Questioned Ulric as the light around his hands grew even more intense.

"You're drawing too much mana at once!" Responded Puck with a bit of surprise in his voice, "Don't discharge towards the mansion!" Ulric wasn't quite sure what that was supposed to mean, so he did the only thing he could think to do at that moment and slammed his hands on the ground in front of him. The light from his hands glowed brighter for a moment before winking out as chunks of the ground were blasted apart in front of him. The impact also sent Ulric falling backwards onto the ground.

Ulric got up shakily then as he inspected the results of his first magical spell. A pair of small craters had formed in the ground a little larger than his fists with several more cracks around the site of the impact. "Was that a good start," questioned Ulric, breathing a bit more heavily than he'd expected to be after just one spell.

"Well it's a start alright," said Puck as he floated around to Emilia, who'd made sure it was safe before getting too close. "You're gate is surprisingly aggressive, drawing in large amounts of mana, as if in preparation for battle."

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised," Said Ulric as he looked at his hands, "I was in a war for three years before I arrived here. You develop a certain mentality rather quickly, if you want to stay alive that is."

"Well for now, it's best if you visualize a limit," said Puck, "Try bringing out only a small amount at first. If all goes well, over time your use of your gate will become more natural and you'll be able to control more mana."

"One step at a time," Said Ulric as he readied himself again, "Just like knight training."

"Well let's try this then," Said Puck, "Think of strengthening your body this time when you say jiwald. If all goes well, the mana should remain around your body and increase your physical abilities." The knight nodded as he sat down and concentrated once again while Puck landed on his head. As before, he envisioned a gate and a glowing sea of light. But this time, he only envisioned a small amount entering the gate. He then felt the mana coursing through his body, but it was far softer and more subdued than before.

Ulric opened his eyes to see that his body was now generating a blue glow, and what was more, he felt strong and light, as if he could jump over a whole field. A feeling which quickly faded as the light around him lasted only a few seconds longer. Then, he nearly collapsed in a surprising fit of exhaustion.

"I think that's about as far as we can push it for now," said Emilia as she and Puck watched Ulric struggle to catch his breath. "Something Puck forgot to mention, when you use up your mana, you become exhausted."

"I believe I figured that much out already," Said Ulric as he struggled to rise, "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. If wielding magic was an easy venture, everyone would be doing it."

"You'd best take it slow," Said Emilia as she helped him stand up before taking out a strange purple berry, "This should help a little bit." Ulric nodded as he accepted the fruit and ate it. In the next instant, a good bit of the exhaustion he was feeling was gone. Not all of it, but he could definitely move much more easily now.

"They do not have fruit like that where I come from," said a surprised Ulric, "What is it?"

"It's a special berry known as a bocco fruit," replied Emilia, "It has special properties which activate your mana when you eat it and allows your gate to regain a little strength."

"Well it certainly does the job," said Ulric, "Any chance I can resume training now?"

"I wouldn't recommend it," said Puck, "Remember that mana is life energy. If you try to use too much of it at once, you might not be able to get back up again for at least the rest of the day. So for now, just rest and we'll pick up a little later in the evening."

"I suppose it can't be helped," Said Ulric, "The rules of this world are strange to me. But if I learn to work with them, I just might be able to get by."

"I'm sure not everything about this world is different from yours," Said Emilia, "I'm certain if you look hard enough, you'll find something about it that seems at least somewhat familiar." Ulric's answer to that was a kind smile.

Over the next five days, they routinely met and practiced this first spell. Unlike the first time, Ulric managed to not blast a pair of holes in the ground, something the two maids, Rem and Ram, had been rather displeased about when they'd discovered it. As for the spell itself, Ulric managed to hold it longer each day and was soon able to maintain the spell for a solid minute without Puck's help, albeit at great exhaustion.

He'd also grown comfortable enough to stand up and move around while maintaining the light around his body as well. "I must say, not bad," Said Puck as Ulric finished going through a few motions with his blade before ending the spell, and nearly collapsing to his knees, "Your concentration is excellent, definitely that of a warrior's."

"It is difficult," said Ulric between breaths, "It's like keeping a constant thought at the back of my mind while also thinking about which form of sword play I should use."

"That will become second nature overtime," Said Emilia, "It took me a few years of study before I could wield magic like I do now, though I suppose it's a bit easier when I'm contracted to a spirit."

"Well no one said it was going to be particularly easy," Said Ulric as he returned his blade to his belt, "I can hardly imagine what my comrades would say if they saw me doing this. No doubt there'd be no end of questions and debate about where it comes from, Heaven or Hell. But with this being light magic, I'd like to think Heaven."

"Magic comes from all the forces in the world," Said Emilia, "Mana is life energy, the very same energy that you draw upon is also the energy that allows the trees to grow, nourishes the wildlife and drives the natural phenomenon's around us. It is neither good nor evil, that is determined by the person who wields it."

"Then I shall use this magic, hopefully in a way that would make my comrades proclaim Deus Vult," Said Ulric.

"What exactly does that phrase mean?" Questioned Puck, "I've been around for a long time and I can't say I've ever heard the language you're using."

"Oh, it's from an old language known as Latin," explained Ulric, "It means 'God wills.' We crusaders adopted it as a battle cry of sorts."

"You'll have to tell us more about it sometime," said Emilia as Puck yawned, "Unfortunately, Puck's time is about up and I'm afraid I need to get back to my studies for the royal selection."

"Ah, I have some studies of my own I must attend to as well," Said Ulric with a bow, "I shall see you again tomorrow your ladyship." Emilia giggled a little at his continued use of knightly manners before bowing herself. The two then parted ways as Ulric headed to the room they'd designated for him in the mansion.

When he arrived, the knight went ahead and pulled out a book of fairy tales of Lugnica. Not really the first thing one would expect a knight to have, but the pink-haired servant known as Ram had quickly noticed, and quite bluntly pointed out, that Ulric could not read any of the writing of this land. So, as per Emilia's request, Ram had been visiting him each night in order to teach him. This night would prove no different as the pink-haired girl entered his room.

"I see that you've already gotten to work on where we left off," said Ram, "At least you don't lack for motivation."

"As I've explained to you once before," said Ulric, "I've travelled to other foreign lands before and I've learned that knowing the native language and script is invaluable if one is going to survive, or at the very least avoid a number of inconveniences."

"Then let us waste no time," said Ram as she picked up the book and started going through a few sentences, "Tonight, we shall be going through a bit of sentence structure." Ulric nodded as the frustrating work began. He couldn't deny that he enjoyed reading, but he hated the fact that he felt like a small child again, being taught by a girl who was younger than he was, even if it was only by a couple of years. "What happened to your hand?"

Ulric looked up at the question before glancing at his hand. "Oh this," said Ulric as he examined a bite mark on his hand, "Yesterday when you sent me along with Rem to that little town, I encountered some children with a little pup. It seemed friendly enough, but the little bugger must've been teething because it took a pretty good bite of my hand."

"Or perhaps it simply hated your awful stench," said Ram, "I'm inclined to agree with it."

"I did take a bath today, thank you," Said Ulric, "So whatever you smell, I doubt it's me."

"Well it is most certainly something in this room," said Ram, "Which is unfortunate, given that it means more work for Rem and I."

"But it is also a matter I think you can leave until tomorrow," said Ulric, "I don't smell any stench, and even if I did, it would have to be exceedingly awful to keep me up."

"All that tells me is that you must have slept in some exceedingly horrendous places," Said Ram, "Perhaps you've slept in so many that an awful stench doesn't even register to your nose anymore."

"Well if it will please your delicate sensibilities, I shall wash myself more thoroughly tomorrow," said Ulric as he finished writing down the string of letters he'd been working on, "But before that could you tell me one thing? Why is it your sister keeps glancing at me with a glare in her eyes?" Ram seemed to contemplate his question for a moment before answering.

"This is only my opinion, but it is likely she disapproves of you freeloading around the mansion," Ram finally said, "Not so surprising. I don't really approve of it either."

"Lady Emilia approves of me being here," Said Ulric as he began writing another set of letters, "And I've neither heard nor seen any disapproval from Lord Roswaal either. So I find it a mystery that you're both so disapproving."

"I assure you that master Roswaal does have his reservations about allowing you to stay here," said Ram, "But he is a fair master and has allowed you to stay at Lady Emilia's request. But do not mistake his kindness as complete approval, should he sense even a hint of malice in your actions, he will punish you most severely." Instead of feeling dread at that statement, Ulric felt his lip curl into a slight smirk.

"You know you're surprisingly intimidating for a maid," said Ulric, "But then again, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised at this point, given all I've seen since arriving."

"A real surprise would be you getting that next batch of letters finished before the night is over," said Ram. Ulric simply laughed at that as he continued writing. Conversation from that point on was sparse as he finished up his lesson, but not before his teacher had nodded off on his bed. 'Hm, complains about me smelling bad and then falls asleep on my bed, again.' It wasn't the first time this had happened and truthfully it was somewhat annoying, given that she was supposed to examine his progress.

But it hadn't become a problem as of yet and truthfully, Ulric had seen how hard the two maids worked around the mansion, so he was content to let her rest for a bit while he signaled her sister to come get her. Afterwards, Ulric set his blade underneath his pillow and turned in for the night himself.

Roswaal Mansion the Next Day

'The sun seems to be up surprisingly early this morning,' thought Ulric as he sat up in his bed. But something was off. He was back in the gray robes he'd been wearing on his first day in the mansion. "Dear sister, it seems our guest is finally awake," said the now familiar voice of Rem.

"Rem Rem, our guest also appears to be a little confused," replied Ram.

"What's going on?" Questioned Ulric, curious about the presence of the two maids in his room. Not to mention, it seemed a little familiar.

"Lady Emilia asked us to check on you routinely until you woke up," Replied Rem.

"Yes, you sustained several injuries," Added Ram, "I was fairly certain you wouldn't awaken."

"I don't have any injur-," Ulric stopped speaking as he glanced at his hand and froze. The bite mark he'd had on his hand was gone. "Tell me, how long have I been here?"

"You were brought in yesterday by Lady Emilia," answered Rem, "According to her you provided her with great assistance."

"Though it appears most of that assistance was as a simple meat shield," Added Ram. 'It couldn't be,' thought Ulric as he glanced back down at his hand. 'I've been at this mansion for five days and the bite mark on my hand was a day old, so it shouldn't have healed this quickly unless Emilia applied magic to it while I was sleeping. But there's no reason for her to wait until I fell asleep to do so, and I only wore this robe on my first day here, the rest of the nights I've slept in basic garments that wouldn't impede my movement if I needed to get up quickly.'

"Tell me," Said Ulric as he looked back up at the maids, "Do either of you know my name?" The two of them both put their fingers to their chins in thought.

"I recall lady Emilia mentioned that you went by the name, Ulfric or perhaps it was Ulvic," Said Rem.

"I did not even attempt to remember," Said Ram, "Given that I am unaware of the length of your stay, it might not even matter." 'So that settles it then,' thought Ulric, 'there's only one reason I know of that everything seems to have reset. Some time while I slept last night, I died.'

 **It seems our knight can only escape danger for so long before something else rears its ugly head. How did he die and who's responsible, that's a mystery that will need to be solved before Ulric enters another cycle of living and dying. Greetings everyone, hope you liked this week's chapter and as always, feel free to comment or leave a review about what you liked, what I could improve, or even an idea or two you might have. Be sure to stop in next time as Ulric begins his investigation of the threat to the mansion and his life. 'Til next time.**


	9. Mystery of the Fifth Day

**The Mystery of the Fifth Day**

Jerusalem 1186: One Year before the Siege

Ulric stood next to Rodrick as he and a few other knights were gathered around the body of a dead commander. Currently their captain, Galahad, was praying for their fallen comrade. After another moment, he rose to his feet and turned to the others. "I want you two to escort our fallen brother to his final resting place, be sure he is buried with what ceremony we can provide him. Ulric, Rodrick, come with me."

The knights did as they were told as Ulric and Rodrick followed Galahad through the city streets. It was a moment of tense silence before Ulric finally broke it. "Sir," Said Ulric, "What do you think happened, was he attacked?"

"His throat was slit," replied Galahad, "I'm fairly certain it happened last night. Given that he was in his tent when it happened, that only really leaves three possibilities that I can think of. The first; he was attacked by an assassin while he was in the middle of removing his armor, the second; a fellow knight slit his throat from behind, or third; he slit his own throat."

"Two of those possibilities seem incredibly unlikely," said Rodrick, "Almost unthinkable in fact."

"Do not rule out any possibilities without good reason," said Galahad, "I've seen this war affect many of my comrades in incredible and sometimes sickening ways. It is no stretch of the imagination that he might have simply seen death as his only means of escape from suffering or a perceived failure."

"But I knew that commander," said Rodrick, "He was a vicious man who enjoyed fighting. Why would he take his life now?"

"Then perhaps one of our own did him in," suggested Galahad, "I've had to break up a few bouts over spoils of war just the other day. It's possible that he had something that another one of ours wanted."

"If I may sir, I severely doubt it," said Ulric, "It was not one of our own that did that, and it wasn't for something he had either."

"Do explain sir Ulric," said Galahad, motioning for him to continue his train of thought.

"Well if it was a thief," said Ulric, "His tent would've been ransacked to at least a small degree. All the objects of value that commander had were stowed out of sight."

"Very good, both of you," Said Galahad with a small smirk, "Yes, we are dealing with an assassin, and a woman at that."

"What makes you so sure about that?" Questioned Rodrick with an inquisitive raise of an eyebrow.

"Because we found him with his belt undone," replied Galahad, "Among other states of undress. I doubt he was defecating in his own tent, so it is likely that he had a woman in his tent with him, and it was her who slit his throat."

"So we've got an assassin roaming our camps," said Rodrick, "How are we going to find her?"

"We'll start with the prisoners," said Galahad, "We have too many to hold in the cells currently, so it's possible she slipped in when we were transporting them across the city. I must report this to our superiors, so in the mean time we must not alert the assassin that we are aware of her presence. So you two split up to cover more ground and be vigilant, for our battle ground is now within the very walls of this city, and your greatest weapons will not be your blades but your minds and your powers of observation."

Roswaal Mansion: Current Day

The memory flashed through Ulric's mind as he tried to wrap his head around what he'd awoken too. He'd died the night before, and now he was back at the day he awoke in the Roswaal mansion for the first time. He'd turned a number of possibilities over in his head starting with someone slitting his throat in his sleep to poison. But there was also the possibility of a magic that could kill one in their sleep, and that was what made this even more complicated.

'I was at the mansion for five days without anything going amiss,' he thought, 'at least as far as I know. It could be that assassin Elsa again, she most certainly has the ability to sneak in here without being noticed and slicing someone's throat in their sleep most certainly wouldn't be beneath her. Of course if it was poison, why use something that takes forever to work? Most often when someone was poisoned back in my homeland the victim would fall dead shortly afterward, not to mention entire royal families were sometimes poisoned. Whatever the case, I need to consult an expert in the matters of magic.'

But for the time being, Ulric decided it was best to not let the killer know that he was aware of their presence, assuming they were around the mansion. In the meantime, Ulric had to go through the arduous process of being introduced to lord Roswaal once again, and also making the same request to be trained in magic. Of course, it was also during this meeting that he was reminded that he was a bit suspect, given how he arrived at the mansion, which meant he had to be careful what questions he asked during his little investigation. But the most difficult question was, where to start first?

'The maids and lord Roswaal will likely not be straight forward about how this mansion is guarded against intruders,' he thought as he went through a familiar series of fighting moves on the manor grounds, 'Which only really leaves me one or two other options.' As if in answer to his thoughts, Emilia came walking around the corner, ready to start his first lesson in magic. Unknowingly for the second time.

"You're up quite early sir knight," said Emilia, her voice and mannerisms the same as before. But this conversation would most certainly play out differently.

"A habit I developed during my training," replied Ulric, "I often had to rise early for practice, and now it's ingrained in my body to simply wake up early. It was either that or a bucket of cold water from my father."

"Well just know that we don't expect you to rise any earlier than any of us," replied Emilia as she summoned Puck from his jewel, "Alright Puck, it's time to get started." The spirit responded in much the same way as the first time with a yawn before floating out to prepare for the lesson.

"Before we begin, I have a bit of a concern I was wondering about," said Ulric, "I looked around the grounds yesterday and I couldn't help but notice that an assassin could get in here relatively easily. Are you sure this mansion is the safest place after dealing with that monster, Elsa?"

"Oh there's no need to worry about something like that," said Puck with a dismissive wave, "Betty and Lord Roswaal laced the grounds with runes that will alert them to uninvited guests. Not to mention, Emilia being here isn't really that widely known, so we should be more than safe until the time of the royal selection."

"Fascinating," mused Ulric with a hand to his chin, "You'll have to teach me about how to lay some of those one day. It might come in handy."

"First things first," said Puck, "We need to explain how magic itself works and then determine your attribute." Ulric nodded as the lesson began. As before, his attribute was determined to be light and the first spell was jiwald. But this time, Ulric managed not to blast a pair of holes in the courtyard while maintaining jiwald for nearly a full minute. 'I suppose the one good thing about resetting,' Ulric thought, 'Is I know how to do something I've already done.'

Puck and Emilia were of course impressed by this, commenting on how funny it was that someone who just learned about Lugnica's magic little more than two days ago was actually somewhat adept at using it. 'I wonder if they'd believe me if I told them the truth?' Ulric wondered as they continued the lesson. By the end of it, he'd managed to extend his time to a few seconds longer.

"Certainly not bad at all," said Puck as he floated back on Emilia's shoulder, "I thought I would have to act as a conduit for a bit longer, but you've got the basic mental image down pat. If you continue training in this mindset and using your gate, you'll be well on your way to actually wielding magic."

"You're too kind great spirit," said Ulric with a bow, "I think I merely have a good teacher."

"I appreciate the flattery," said Puck, puffing his small chest out with pride, "But you might not be so appreciative once we get into combat magic. Now that will be a test all on its own."

"I would hope it's not any worse than my training to be a knight," Said Ulric, "I had a few close calls on the more intensive parts."

"Let's just say if you're not careful," said Puck as he floated back into the air, "You really will blow yourself up." The cat made an excited gesture with his arms for added effect.

"Alright, there's no need to try scaring him," said Emilia, "He's just started magic training. For all we know he could be a mystical prodigy who won't even come close to blowing himself up."

"That is something only time and future lessons will tell," Said Ulric, "Once again, I'm very grateful you agreed to teach me."

"Think nothing of it," said Puck with a yawn, "We owe you big time, and all that."

"I think that means it's time for us to wrap up today's lesson," said Emilia, "I must attend to my own studies as well. So I will see you bright and early tomorrow sir knight."

"I'm looking forward to learning," said Ulric with a bow, "But of course, I have other studies I must attend to as well, so I bid you a good evening." Those other studies of course included patrolling the grounds and looking for anything out of place or suspicious. The hard part was trying not to look suspicious himself. Ram's threat about Roswaal punishing him, which she technically hadn't made yet, though not too frightening was enough to make him move with caution.

It took him a few hours to cover all of the grounds. It took a few more minutes when Rem started questioning him wandering around. Ulric was able to come up with the excuse of simply never getting a proper tour of the mansion. In retrospect he should've known better, because he was then led around the mansion by the blue-haired maid, who he'd barely had any conversation with, listening while she explained the ins and outs of the massive residence in her usual, business-like tone. But one thing Ulric did notice, she kept sneaking secretive glares at him whenever she thought he wasn't looking. 'I need to be careful around these two,' he thought, 'There's something a bit off about them.'

Soon after that, Ram found them and got to teaching Ulric about reading and writing. The good news was, he'd done some of this before, so he caught on much more quickly. In much the same way, the next five days continued like this, with Ulric pretending he didn't know much about certain things while performing better than expected. All the while, he searched for any sign of an intruder or possible tampering with the food.

Office of Lord Roswaal: The Fourth Night

"So, what do you think of our guest so far?" Questioned Roswaal as he stroked Ram's hair.

"He's shown no open hostility towards anyone in the mansion so far," replied Ram, "But he has been making several trips around the mansion grounds. He's given different excuses whenever Rem or I questioned him about it. But he often moves around the same places, like a guard on patrol with his eyes scanning the landscape around the mansion. It's almost like he's expecting something to happen."

"Do you believe him to be a spy of any sort?" Questioned Roswall.

"He has asked a number of questions about your reputation," said Ram, "He also expressed concerns about someone attempting to assassinate you or Lady Emilia. If he is a spy, though, I find it curious that he would request magic lessons, and even more curious that he is so unaware of the country's current state. Not to mention, he can barely read or write the native language, which would be one of the first thing's a spy would learn before coming into an enemy country."

"So you'd simply suggest continuing to keep an eye on him for now," questioned Roswaal.

"He may yet pose a threat," replied Ram, "But so far, neither Rem nor I have sensed any malice in his intentions. But the scent he gives off, is unmistakable."

Roswaal Mansion: The Next Day

'Just a little longer,' thought Ulric as he sat in a meditative pose, with the glow of jiwald around his body, 'Only a few more seconds.' The strain of maintaining the spell was finally starting to get to him, but he wasn't about to give up so easily. Concentrating as hard as he could, Ulric was able to make the spell last just a little longer until finally releasing the magic, causing the glow around his body to fade.

"And that's exactly two minutes," said Puck as he landed on Ulric's head, "Your concentration is improving, and if what I'm feeling is right, your gate is looking a little better as well. With continued use, your gate will open far more easily and mana will flow with less of a problem."

"How often would one need to wield magic for it to pass through easily?" Questioned Ulric between ragged breaths.

"Well it's not just how often you use it," replied Puck, "The way you use your gate matters too. If you try forcing more mana through than your gate can handle, you could actually cause damage to it. Then, not only will it be difficult for you to use any mana at all, it'll be even more painful to cast even regular spells."

"I guess I should be careful when using it in a fight then," said Ulric as he examined his blade, "But on the upside, it means I can also improve on my sword technique while I'm here."

"Many higher ranking knights utilize magic," said Emilia, "Some even wield spirit magic. To what degree depends on the knight's specialty or field of expertise."

"You mean there are knights in this land who don't specialize in warfare," questioned Ulric, "That seems counterproductive."

"Well as you know, our country currently isn't at war," said Emilia, "But even if we were, there would be a need for those who provide healing, remove curses, interrogate prisoners, and commune with the spirits. All the knights of the kingdom have a role they fill."

"Well in spite of that," said Ulric with a quick swing of his blade, "I hope they all at least know how to handle themselves in a fight."

"The system isn't perfect, but they've done well enough so far," said Puck as he landed on Emilia's shoulder, "At least if you don't count the whole royal family disappearing thing."

"It is curious," said Ulric, "With all you've told me about magic, it seems like something as simple as a sickness should be no problem for the royal family, who should have plenty of magic users at their disposal."

"I doubt it was a simple sickness," said Emilia, "it was most likely a curse of some sort. Dark magic that once activated cannot be stopped."

"I thought you said there was no such thing as good or evil magic," said Ulric, "Just the will of the individual."

"Yes and it's true," said Emilia, "Curses were developed by those who wished to do great harm on others. In my own opinion, they're one of the greatest perversions of the natural forces of this world. Fortunately, curses are also a rare form of magic which are wielded by only the most well-practiced mages."

"In that case, I suppose we have little to worry about in terms of things then," said Ulric as he slipped his blade back into his belt, "Though speaking of being well practiced, I must get to my own studies of the written language. I imagine you have your own studies to attend to as well."

"Oh yes, you're quite right sir knight," said Emilia, "It almost slipped my mind. I bid you good evening, and hope you sleep well."

"The same to you your highness," said Ulric with a bow before turning and leaving.

"It's just Emilia!" The half-elf called back, feigning annoyance at Ulric's continued use of formal language. As he turned a corner, though, Ulric's face took on a determined frown. 'I wish I could honor your request about sleeping well, but I'm afraid I'll be dealing with another problem of my own tonight.'

Roswaal Mansion: Ulric's Room a Few Hours Later

It was a familiar feeling to Ulric, sitting and waiting for something terrible to happen. Though instead of patrolling around a wall, he was sitting and waiting on a chair in his room, purple blade at the ready. He'd taken a number of precautions to see if poison had been the culprit, like avoiding eating the food at dinner and observing Roswaal and the maids. Given that they ate the food as well and didn't drop dead shortly after, he was fairly certain he could rule out poison as the reason of his death. So it was time to test the second theory of how he'd died, a possible assassin.

To be honest, he hoped it was anyone but Elsa, given that he still hadn't used jiwald in actual combat. Taking another deep breath, he shifted to a more comfortable position, running scenario after scenario through his head. 'If I'm lucky, which has not really been the case so far, it'll be someone I can handle without much of a problem. If it turns out to be someone more skilled than me, then my best bet will be to head out the door and make as much noise as possible. It'll be regretful that I must wake the occupants of the mansion, but it'll be better than dying again.'

With that thought in mind, Ulric steeled himself for the inevitable confrontation. Or what he'd thought was a confrontation. After another few minutes had passed, something strange began to happen. The room started to bend and shift a bit as all of the heat seemed to drain from his body.

'What's going on,' thought Ulric as he tried to get up, only to wretch and throw up on the floor, 'I did everything possible to avoid being poisoned, so what's happening?' The knight staggered out of the door way, dragging his feet as he went. 'It's like a sudden wave of exhaustion or sickness, almost like the curses Emilia was describing.' Putting everything he had left into walking, Ulric lurched forward, one shaky step at a time as he weakly banged his weapon against the wall.

'The only way to survive now is see if one of these magic wielders can do something,' thought Ulric, 'assuming they haven't fallen to this as well.' It was then, as he was staggering down the hall that he heard it, a clanking sound, like chains being drug across a floor. Gripping his weapon tighter, Ulric stood and faced the darkened hallway where the noise originated from. "Step into the light!" He exclaimed as he took a shaky fighting stance, "If you've come to kill me, at least show me your face!"

His demand was met with the sound of chains sliding faster and a sudden rush of air. Ulric recognized the noise and leapt to the side just in time as something slammed into the wall where he'd just been. 'I can't fight like this,' he realized as he rolled to the right to avoid another strike from the unknown weapon, 'Only one option.' "Jiwald," he said, summoning forth the magic he'd been practicing. Like before, his body began to glow, but something was wrong.

'The mana in my body is being drained,' he realized as he managed to stand up, 'I won't be able to hold this spell for more than a few seconds.' The weapon struck again, narrowly missing Ulric as he leapt over it and jumped off the wall towards the source of chains. 'Only one chance, strike while I still have strength.' He felt one final rush of air as the weapon came to intercept him faster than anticipated, then nothing.

 **And so the mystery deepens, and Ulric's inability to get a break from this sort of thing continues. Hello everyone, hope you enjoyed this latest chapter and as always, feel free to leave a comment or review about what you liked, disliked, or an idea you have to help make the story better. Stop in next time as the dreaded killer stands revealed. See ya'll then.**


	10. Death Takes Unexpected Forms

**Death Takes Unexpected Forms**

Roswaal Mansion: The Third First Day

Ulric awoke with a start, breathing heavily as his eyes darted around the room and his arms were held up in a defensive posture. After another moment, he noticed it was morning and that he was back in his bed. 'The pain from whatever that curse was is gone,' he noticed, 'and my wounds are healed. So it happened again, I lost my life and was sent back.' It was at that point that he'd noticed the two frightened maids standing on the other side of the room.

"My apologies," Ulric said after a moment, "I didn't mean to frighten either of you." The two sisters didn't respond as they continued standing right next to each other, a bit of fear in their eyes. Thinking quickly, Ulric came up with what he hoped was a believable excuse. "It's a soldier and a knight's burden sometimes," he said, "For their dreams to be haunted with frightful images. I'm afraid you simply arrived at one of those times."

The maids seemed to accept this explanation, more or less anyway. "Will our guest be requiring anything," asked Rem.

"Perhaps going back to sleep might help," said Ram, not seeming all that sympathetic.

"Well since you asked," Said Ulric as he moved off of his bed and stood up, "I'd simply like to know two things. One, can you set up a meeting with Bet-I mean someone well-versed in magic, and two, do you happen to have some clothes for me?" The two maids glanced at each other before indicating the clothes they'd set out.

"Our lord and master Roswaal is still out on business," said Rem, "He will not be back until later."

"Which means the closest thing to an expert we currently have is Miss Beatrice," Ram continued for her sister, "Rather unfortunate for you given that she's rarely in a good mood."

"I'll work around that," said Ulric as he picked up the once again new pair of pants that had been left on the chair, "Would one of you mind waiting outside, I've no idea where this Beatrice is right now."

"Of course," they both said with a slight bow before leaving the room, but not without muttering what was likely a few insults under their breath. 'I need to remember that those two aren't necessarily thrilled to have me here,' he thought as he changed into the outfit he was given. After a few minutes, he exited the room to find, surprisingly, both maids waiting for him.

"Miss Beatrice is capable of appearing at any doorway within this mansion," said Rem, "I'm afraid the best we can do is point you to a hallway."

"Though the likelihood of you managing to find the door on the first try is," Ulric grabbed the next door down and opened it as Ram spoke, revealing Beatrice's massive library, "Unlikely." The knight had to stop himself from smirking. It was a welcome change to see the two of them actually surprised for once.

"As you said any door," repeated Ulric, "I guess we all can get lucky from time to time."

"Then we wish you luck sir knight," said the two maids with another bow, "and please be warned, she has a volatile temper."

"Thank you for the warning," said Ulric as he entered the library. 'Not that I need it, but it's appreciated.'

"Oh dear," said the child-like being, "It seems that an insect has wandered into my library I suppose."

"You're quite the harsh little one aren't you your ladyship," said Ulric, "Tell me, do you prefer Beatrice or Betty."

"I don't really mind either one," replied Betty, "Just so long as you leave this instant I suppose."

"Would you at least do me the honor of answering a couple questions?" Ulric asked, "I have a little problem that I lack the ability to solve."

"Betty doesn't really feel like answering your questions right now," She replied, "But if it gets you to leave I will answer them I suppose." Ulric nodded before speaking.

"I'd like to know about curses," he said, "Specifically ones that poison the body or drain strength from it."

"I see," said Betty as she hopped off her stool and pulled out another book from one of the many shelves. She opened it to reveal a map of what Ulric assumed was Lugnica and its other surrounding lands, "Curses are a rather specific form of magic, more of a subclass really, like the ones who specialize in them, shamans."

"I've never heard of such a magic user before," said Ulric with his hand on his chin, "Do they hail from a specific region or are they spread throughout the land."

"They hail, as you say, from a northern nation by the name of Gusteco," replied Betty as she indicated a point on the map, "In comparison to regular magic or spiritual arts users they're rather pitiful and one normally doesn't need to take them too seriously. Though what you describe sounds like a technique known as mana draining."

"Of course," said Ulric, "mana is life energy and if one's own life energy is forcibly drained then there'd be nothing left."

"Obviously," said Betty as she sat back down on her stool, "But mana draining is a rather rare skill. In fact, Buby and I are the only ones in this mansion capable of using it. Even Roswaal himself is incapable of performing it."

"But a shaman could perform something similar with the use of a curse," Ulric thought aloud, "Tell me, how does one stop a curse?"

"Well despite their uselessness, a shaman's curse cannot really be stopped once it's activated," Said Beatrice, "However, locating and removing a curse is a simple matter for one such as me I suppose."

"I see," said Ulric, "Well how is a curse typically contracted or cast I should say?"

"A number of ways I suppose," Replied Beatrice, "The most common is by touch, but shamans can also use intermediaries such as animals to pass a curse on to someone."

"Well that narrows it down to potentially an entire village," said Ulric with a bit of sarcasm, "But it's a place to start."

"If that is all you wanted to know," said Beatrice, "I believe you said you would leave after your questions were answered."

"Yes I do believe I know what to do," said Ulric with a slight bow, "Thank you again for your assistance."

"Betty doesn't require thanks from one such as you," said Betty as she waved him out, "But at least you are somewhat aware of what manners are I suppose." Ulric nodded as he stepped out of the door and began his way back down the hallway. 'Well that answers one question,' he thought, 'Now I know what exactly started the process of my last death, so the next thing to do is discover who's responsible. Because I'm back to day one, everyone but Emilia and Puck thinks I might be a potential spy or enemy so I doubt they'd easily believe me if I warned them about a specific date and time of an attack, or assuming they did, they'd probably lock me up somewhere until the time passed. So for now, I'm just gonna have to play along once again without giving away the fact that I more or less know what will happen next.'

It was something he was getting good at, meeting Roswaal, making his request to be trained in the use of magic and hiding the fact that he'd seen the mansion and its many passageways before. But on the upside, it helped him in the occasional verbal sparring session he would have with Ram or Rem, given that he knew what some of their first insults would be. It also saved him a lot of time searching, given that he'd been over the mansion numerous times before his last death and hadn't found anything too suspicious, at least until the fifth day.

So instead, after his first magic lesson, he began to put a little bit of his time into practicing his sword and dagger technique while Jiwald was activated. Now that he knew he could use it to fight, he needed to test how long it could last before exhaustion and threatened over use of his gate forced him to stop. 'I can currently maintain the spell for at least two minutes,' he thought, 'If I continue to expand my time on it, I'll be in an even better position to face the attacker when the time comes.'

He also took the extra time he'd given himself to increase his knowledge of Lugnica's folklore. He'd gotten better at reading and writing over the course of his last two lives and could now read simple fairy tales. Two that stood out to him were the tale of how the royal family made a deal with a dragon and the tale of the jealous witch or the witch of envy. 'I can see why Emilia was so upset when I insinuated that she was a witch,' he thought to himself as he reread the story, 'being compared to a terrifying being like this would not be all that pleasant.'

It was at that moment that Ram walked in with a tray of tea. "Wonders may never cease," said Ram as she set the tray down, "Finding you here taking your studies seriously in something that doesn't involve swinging a blade." Ulric simply shook his head with a small smile.

"You never fail to speak your mind," said Ulric as he finished up writing down his latest sentence, "I'd say you should probably treat a guest with a little more respect, but I know you don't think of me that way."

"How very perceptive of you," said Ram as she sat down to sip some of the tea she'd brought, "While it is true you've been allowed to reside here for your training, you're still more of a-."

"A freeloader, yes," said Ulric, having had this conversation before, "And to a degree you are right. Roswaal is allowing me to stay here as a favor to Lady Emilia and nothing more. Should Roswaal deem me dangerous or troublesome in anyway, I imagine he'd throw me out or simply kill me with his exhaustive supply of magic."

"Hmm," Ram said as she tilted her head a bit, "It seems the precariousness of your situation hasn't escaped you. It's good that you understand then and saves me the time of explaining it to you."

"Yes it does," said Ulric, "But I imagine you didn't come here initially to threaten me with the consequences of causing trouble around the mansion."

"I was merely bringing the tea," said Ram, "But since I am here, I may as well check up on your progress. After all, it would reflect poorly on me if you were failing to comprehend the written language."

"Well since you asked," said Ulric as he held up the book of fairy tales she'd given him at the start of their lessons, "I can actually read a few of these stories now. It takes me more time to read than I'd like but that's what practice is for."

"Did any of the stories catch your fancy?" Questioned Ram as she set her tea cup down.

"Well now that you mention it," said Ulric as he opened the book, "I was curious about two stories. The one that speaks of the dragon and the one about the jealous witch." Ulric saw a slight hint of anger cross Ram's face before it returned to her normal neutral expression. "I've heard this story of the dragon before, if I recall, it's how the kingdom of Lugnica came to be according to its people."

"That is correct," said Ram, "The royal family signed a contract with the great dragon and now it watches over the kingdom from far away behind a great waterfall. Since the story itself is true, one could consider it more of a folktale."

"What does the dragon's contract say about the royal family dying out?" Questioned Ulric, "Where I come from, most people are released from such agreements upon the death of the other party. Not much point making deals with the deceased."

"That's difficult to say and I'm afraid I could only offer my own opinion on the matter," replied Ram, "These times are quite uncertain and likely only the dragon himself knows what needs to happen next."

"Well dragons were a mystery for my people too, assuming they even existed," said Ulric, "of the few stories I've heard of dragons in my travels, most referred to them as vicious beasts at worst and creatures not to be trusted at best."

"Well you need not fear this dragon," said Ram, "He, at the very least, is one who honors his contracts."

"I suppose that's good news," said Ulric, "But then again, I've never run into a dragon in my life and if the lord continues to will it, I never will. Of course, since we're on the subject of folklore, would you mind also telling me about this jealous witch?"

"I'm afraid I don't wish to discuss that," said Ram as she picked up the tea tray, "In fact I've lingered here for too long as it is." The pink-haired maid quickly made her way out of the room then, stopping only long enough to mention that she would be back to let him know that dinner was being served. 'It seems this witch is a sour subject for many people,' thought Ulric as he reread a few lines from the story, 'The jealous witch of envy. A practical personification of one of the seven deadly sins.'

Roswaal Mansion: The Third Fifth Day

It had taken a bit of planning on Ulric's part, but he believed he finally came up with a viable strategy to lure out the attacker. Or at the very least, intercept them before they got to the mansion. He was going to position himself on one of the hills overlooking the mansion that he'd spotted during his last life. He may not know where the attacker is coming from, but he did know roughly the time that they arrived and what he believed to be a few of the routes which the attacker might use. He'd also taken the precaution of alerting Puck, though he had to be vague about it because there was still too much he didn't know himself.

The difficult part was coming up with a believable excuse for him to be on the hill, or at the very least, outside of the mansion after dark. That's when he was struck with the idea of going on a journey to another town to find work. It was a plausible excuse and what was more, he could claim that he'd gotten news of a possible attack or that he'd seen someone suspicious heading for the mansion when he put his plan into action. So, on the fourth day, he announced to Emilia that he wanted to explore more of Lugnica and find work that would fit with someone of his skills. The half-elf was of course surprised by his sudden declaration, but respected his decision nonetheless.

Now here he stood at the doorway of the mansion on the fifth day with a pack of his belongings and extra supplies. "Are you certain we can't call a carriage for you," asked Emilia, "It wouldn't be any trouble at all."

"Your ladyship has already done more than enough for me," said Ulric, "But the next town is merely a good day's march from here, at least for a knight it should be."

"Well in that case I hope you packed well," said Emilia, "And continue to practice what me and Puck taught you about magic, it could get you out of some bad situations."

"I won't soon forget it," said Ulric, "And good luck to you on the royal selection." Emilia nodded with a smile on her face.

"A Saaafe journey to yooou sir knight," said Roswaal as he shook Ulric's hand, "And pleaaase, try not to lose the giiiift I gave you."

"Ah yes," said Ulric as he shifted his pack a little, feeling the coins move, "You said it was to commemorate my four days in your mansion. Worry not, I swear on my honor as a knight that I will use it well, and I won't reveal anything of importance I've seen or heard here."

"Most eeeeeexcellent," said Roswaal, "I do so appreciate your chivalry." Ulric nodded before turning to Ram and Rem.

"And I'd also like to thank the two of you as well," said Ulric, "Verbal sparring aside, you both made the best meals I've had in ages and Ram, I can't fully express my gratitude for teaching me about reading and writing the language here. As for you Rem, my sincerest thanks for showing me around the area. I'd doubt I'd know which direction to go if you hadn't."

"Safe travels to you sir knight," they both said as they made a quick bow, "Be sure not to bring too much trouble on others." Ulric simply sighed at that. 'Just had to get one last barb in, didn't they.' With a final wave, the knight departed from the mansion and began his trek down the long path. After several minutes of walking, Ulric moved off the trail and cut into the woods, moving uphill until he came to a cliff with a good overlook of the mansion.

'The overlook is even better than expected,' he thought as he unpacked his bag and pulled out his armor, 'Unless the attacker turns invisible or comes up from the ground inside the mansion, I should be able to spot them.' It took another couple of minutes for him to fully don his armor, a process which he could practically do in his sleep given how many times he'd put it on. He only hoped that it would be enough.

'I haven't tried using my magic while in my armor,' he thought to himself as he sat down to wait, 'And I still only have this purple, curved blade to fight. One of the few things I miss about war, a more ready supply of blades and comrades to stand shoulder to shoulder with. I wonder how Rodrick or Galahad would've handled this situation.' The thought of his former life, as it did often now, drummed up numerous images as he sat and waited for the coming night.

Jerusalem 1186:

A head count of the prisoners they'd brought in revealed that, of the fifty prisoners they currently had, only forty-nine were accounted for. Ulric managed to get a vague description of the assassin from the guards and a few of the prisoners and now he was on his way to the tents where some of the higher ranked knights were. From what he'd come to understand, the woman had managed to convince the commander to take her back to his tent before she killed him. It was very possible that the assassin could've merely slipped away, but Ulric severely doubted it.

The reason being that while the commander had indeed been a vicious fighter, he was still low enough on the chain of command that his death hadn't done any serious harm to the army's organization. Ulric had a theory, one that he hoped was wrong, but he was going to investigate it anyway. Given the amount of trouble the assassin likely would've gone through to get into enemy lines, he believed that the commander was not an actual target, but the generals were. A number of them had built up rather nasty reputations with the enemy, and for good reason. Some of them had been responsible for the strategies which had ended in the taking of Jerusalem.

He was about three quarters of the way there when he noticed that some of the generals were currently walking along one of the other streets. 'Well that saves me a little time,' he thought to himself when he noticed a shadow moving within the rubble of one of the buildings. They were still several feet away and it was likely none of the generals would notice the figure until she was right behind them. Making a quick decision, Ulric moved as stealthily as he could, a rather difficult process in chain mail, armored gauntlets and greaves. But soon enough he had a view of his target and made his move.

On the Hillside in Lugnica: Current Day

The sound of rustling broke Ulric from his memory as he looked behind him. 'This seems a bit early,' he thought as he noted the sun was still setting, 'The attack on the mansion shouldn't be until later tonight, unless.' That was when he heard it, the sound of shifting chains, the same sound he'd heard right before. Ulric rolled out of the way as a large, spiked ball on a chain came crashing down on the spot where he'd just been barely a moment ago.

'I thought I recognized that sound,' Ulric thought as he pulled out his weapon before dodging another vertical strike, 'A flail, with an unusually long chain on it.' The flail came at him again, this time at a horizontal angle. Having nowhere else to dodge, Ulric rolled off the cliff, grabbing a hold of the rocky side with his armored left hand. Fortunately, the drop wasn't too terribly far and his grip on the rock wall allowed him to slide down relatively unharmed.

'If I'm up against a flail, I've got about two ways to stop it,' he thought frantically as he hit the ground running, 'I either need to restrict it's field of movement or grab the chain.' Of course as he was thinking this, he realized he had another problem when he came to a dead end in the form of a clearing with a rock wall on the other side, one he was sure he couldn't scramble up in time while he was wearing his chainmail. 'I guess I'll use the second approach.' Turning around to face his attacker, Ulric readied himself to move as he glanced around the trees, straining his eyes and ears for any sign of movement.

Soon enough, the chains sounded again as the spiked flail came rocketing out of the trees heading straight towards him. Ulric just managed to react in time as he moved to the left while also hitting the weapon with his blade. The force of the impact still surprised him as the flail buried itself in the rock wall behind him. Wasting no time, the knight seized the chain, wrapping some of it around his wrist to keep the weapon from being pulled back to its owner.

"You clearly know how to use this weapon," said Ulric as he pulled the chain taut, "But you've lost the element of surprise. So why don't we do this like men and you come out and fight me face to face!" He felt the chain loosen as the silhouette of his attacker came into view. They were much smaller than he expected, and the form most certainly didn't belong to a man.

"This is rather unfortunate," said a familiar voice as she walked into view, "I had hoped to finish you off quickly and without being seen. But it seems that's impossible now."

"What is this," said Ulric as his attacker revealed herself, "Why are you here, what sort of devilry is this supposed to be?!" The girl responded by grabbing the chain of her weapon with both hands and yanking on it. The knight was pulled off his feet by the petite girl's surprisingly monstrous strength as the chain came undone from his arm. Ulric managed to roll over and right himself as he stood up once more. "How and why are you trying to kill me Rem! Just what is all this!"

 **Ulric's killer is revealed as the land of Lugnica continues to show just how different it is from where he came. But what are the maid's reasons for visiting this wrath upon the knight? But in the meantime, I hope you all enjoyed this latest chapter and as always feel free to leave a comment or review about what you liked, hated, or if you got an idea I might want to try. Be sure to stop in next time as Ulric duels against a monstrous maid. 'Til next time.**


	11. A Maid's Wrath, A Knight's Curse

**A Maid's Wrath, A Knight's Curse**

The Forest outside the Roswaal Mansion

Ulric was beginning to think this world's goal was to subvert all of his beliefs and expectations that he'd spent years learning and acquiring. The latest one being the fact that the killer who'd ended his last life with a flail and some kind of curse was none other than the blue-haired maid of the Roswaal mansion, Rem. As it turned out, the petite girl wielded enough strength to swing around the largest flail he'd ever seen a person use and was also smart enough to turn his attempted trap against him by cornering him against a rock wall. 'The women of this land all seem to know how to fight,' thought Ulric, 'I'd best remember that from now on.'

"As long as you put up no resistance," said Rem in the same, calm tone she'd use while doing her chores, "Your death will be relatively swift and fairly painless."

"And just what is the reason that I have to die in the first place?" Questioned Ulric with his blade raised in a defensive posture, "I don't recall committing any real offense against you or anyone else at the mansion."

"Bring punishment to anyone suspicious," replied Rem as she began to approach very slowly, reeling in some of the chain on her weapon, "That is the duty of a maid."

"I wonder about that," said Ulric, "If it were the duty of a maid, why is Ram not here, or is she waiting in ambush in case I get past you." This comment caused Rem to stop in her place as she replied.

"My sister knows nothing about this," replied Rem, "It is my intention to end this before she finds out."

"I see," said Ulric as he took a step forward, "So you're here acting on your own. Or maybe Roswaal sent you here secretly to end my life, and if that's the case it still leads back to the original question, what offense have I caused?"

"That will be for you to answer," Said Rem as she pulled the chain in her hands taut, "But to insure you're telling the truth, I'm afraid I will have to use rather painful me-."

"DON'T INSULT ME HEATHEN!" yelled Ulric as he shot forward, swinging the assassin's blade in his hand in a diagonal downward strike. Rem, taken by surprise, just managed to move out of the way as he came back with another strike at her midsection. The blue-haired girl dodged that strike as well while readying to strike with the chain in her hand. But the knight struck first with a back hand against her left cheek, the force of the blow knocking her over.

Rem rolled over in time to dodge another strike from the blade aimed at her midsection before yanking on the chain of her weapon. The weapon end of the flail was yanked from the stone wall as it came sailing towards Ulric's head. The knight managed to duck his head in time as he felt the spikes of the weapon graze the back of his neck. The maneuver gave his opponent time to get to her feet as she brought the flail around for another strike.

Ulric backed away as the weapon slammed against the ground where he'd just been before being pulled through the air back to its owner. Rem wound up the weapon and swung it once again, forcing Ulric back into a tangle of trees. Rem took advantage of the dead end by slinging the weapon around, preparing to send it flying straight at him. "Jiwald," Ulric said, quickly calling on the light magic he'd learned. As the flail raced towards him, the knight leapt over it, the glowing blue aura around his body allowing him to leap several feet towards his opponent.

But Rem was prepared for surprises this time and twirled away from the strike, using the spin to lash out with a kick to Ulric's head, breaking his concentration and ending his spell. The blow was hard enough that the knight was knocked off of his feet, his ear ringing from the strike while his vision swam for an instant. 'This maid is stronger than a number of knight's I know,' thought Ulric as he managed to roll back up to his feet, 'The last time I was hit that hard I was fighting a soldier a few heads taller than me.' A point which was further reinforced when Rem slung the chain of her weapon around Ulric's neck, preventing him from moving away from her.

"This won't do," said Rem as her hand began glowing, "I'm afraid I'll need to cripple you now to interrogate you." The glow in her hand formed into an ice shard, causing Ulric's eyes to widen in shock. 'She knows ice magic as well, what is with this place?!' Thinking quickly, Ulric used Jiwald again, powering up his body as the ice shard was fired at him. Using the enhanced strength granted from the spell, Ulric yanked the flail out of the ground and over towards him, the spiked ball managing to intercept the ice shard just in time.

"I did not come here to cause anyone harm," Said Ulric as he untangled himself from the chain, "But you've forced my hand!" The knight emphasized the end of his sentence by flinging the spiked ball towards Rem. The maid quickly flipped out of the way of her weapon as she brought it back around in a low horizontal strike. Ulric, managing to keep the spell around his body this time, leapt over it and onto the branch of a rather large tree.

Rem reacted by forming another large ice shard and fired it at Ulric. The knight leapt down off the tree to avoid it and then further back into the forest as she fired even more in his direction. 'She's not as skilled in the mystic arts as Emilia,' thought Ulric as he hid behind a tree, powering down Jiwald for a moment, 'But she makes up for it in undeniable strength and agility. It's only thanks to my magic and the element of surprise that I was able to get the upper hand on her the last couple of times.' The knight was forced to move away from the tree he was hiding behind as the biggest ice shard yet slammed into it, causing it to topple over.

"Found you," said Rem as she suddenly landed near him, swinging her flail down at him once again. The knight dodged around the flail as it slammed into another nearby tree before being yanked out and swung at him again, but with less accuracy as it impacted against yet another tree. Rem then fired another couple of ice shards at him, which Ulric dodged by rolling out of the way. As it turned out, however, she hadn't been trying to hit just him.

This realization hit Ulric as he noticed several of the trees around him were now falling thanks to the volley of ice shards and strikes from the flail. Moving quickly, Ulric just managed to avoid being crushed by first one, two, then three trees before he was clipped in the back by the branches of a fourth tree. The force of the impact knocked him forward onto his stomach, leaving a stinging feeling in his back despite the chainmail. Ulric rolled over and attempted to scramble away only for his foot to be frozen by another ice attack from Rem.

The knight attempted to free himself with his blade, only for it to be knocked out of his hand by Rem's flail. "Now you will answer me," said Rem as she approached, "Are you a member of one of the factions that opposes Lady Emilia?"

"Little maid," replied Ulric, "Until a few days ago I didn't even know that Emilia was a royal candidate." This answer didn't seem to satisfy her as she belted him across the chest with her chain, causing him to grunt in agony.

"Who were you hired by and what are the circumstances of your contract?" Questioned Rem, not seeming to have heard his first response.

"What about my actions these last few days says I was hired by anyone?" Ulric questioned back as he sat up straighter, "I helped Lady Emilia recover her insignia, I got cut open saving her life, and the only information I've asked for is common knowledge to most everyone around here, AAAAAH!" Rem silenced him by belting him across his leg this time.

"One more question," said Rem, "Are you affiliated with the witches cult?" This last answer angered the knight more than anything.

"Jiwald," Ulric muttered as the magic coursed through his body at its quickest rate yet. In one swift motion, the knight shot up, breaking the icey hold on his foot in the process as he slammed his left fist into the surprised maid's stomach. "I AM A KNIGHT! I AM A SERVANT OF THE MOST HIGH GOD!," he shouted as he moved away from Rem, who'd collapsed to her knees from the blow, "I know not what your knights do here, but I can tell you that part of our service to the church was finding and burning witches! I'd rather stand for execution by the hand of my king then become affiliated with a cult that worships witches!"

"Then why is the stench of the witch covering you!" Rem finally shouted back as her face for the first time contorted into one of absolute rage and hatred, "The same stench as the ones who caused my sister so much pain!" Ulric backed up a little at this revelation, just managing to remember to keep Jiwald up.

"What are you talking about," questioned Ulric, "I smell the same as I always have."

"You smell the same as the ones who took away our home," sneered Rem, "And now you encroach on the place that we belong now! I don't know how my sister is able to stand you. Every time you conversed with her, I was afraid I'd go out of my mind with rage and now I can't take any more of it! Even if I know my sister is just pretending to be polite with you, I can't bear it any longer."

Ulric bowed his head in thought for a moment before facing the maid again. "I see, so you weren't sent here by lord Roswaal either. This is a personal mission of your own." Ulric quickly scooped up his blade as he readied himself once again. "This also means no matter how reasonable my argument or the fact that I've told you nothing but the truth, you'll still want to put me to death, and if that is the case then come, show me your conviction as a maid."

Rem stood up in a stance of her own as she gathered mana to her being. Ulric knew he didn't have much longer before he couldn't maintain his spell anymore, so he would have to do this quickly. But just as the maid was about to charge, something strange happened. She collapsed to her knees as the mana around her body was seemingly sucked away. 'What's going on,' thought the knight as he approached her cautiously? He stopped when Rem slung the chain of her weapon at him weakly.

"What did you do?" She questioned as she rose unsteadily to her feet, "Did you place a curse on me?"

"Me?" Ulric questioned back, "I don't know the first thing about placing a-." That was when a thought struck him. 'It wasn't her,' he realized, 'She wasn't the one who placed the curse on me last time. This means her attack just happened to coincide with the attack of another, only this time around she's the one who's had a curse placed on her.' This left the knight in a slight dilemma, given that he now knew that there was another attacker still on the loose, what should he do about the maid?

The knight let out an exasperated sigh as he sheathed his blade and stepped towards the maid. "What are you doing," questioned Rem weakly as she tried to form a spell in her hand, only for the magic to be drawn away.

"Making the best use of my spell while I can still maintain it," replied Ulric as he scooped the maid up in his arms, "It should get us back to the mansion in a short time."

"Why are you going there," said Rem as she tried to fight back, but failed due to how weak she was, "And put me down!"

"Because," said Ulric as he turned and ran for the road, "The only people who could possibly stop this reside there." The maid was clearly confused about his motives, given that she'd tried to kill him not hardly a minute ago. But she was too weak now to really protest and had no choice but to hang on as the knight emerged onto the path and ran down the road as fast as his mana-infused body would allow.

The journey back to the mansion took less than half the time it took him to walk out to the cliff. Despite that, he knew he had no time to lose as he leapt and kicked open the gate to the mansion. Hardly breaking stride, he rushed to the door and busted it open with his shoulder as he began to shout. "Lord Roswaal, Beatrice, Puck!"

His voice echoed throughout the mansion before being shortly followed by the sound of running footsteps. Surprisingly, Emilia was the first to reach them. "Ulric, what are you doing back here?" She questioned before catching sight of the maid in his arms. "What happened?!"

"A curse," replied Ulric as he set the girl down, breathing heavily as the last of his spell dissipated. He was personally surprised he'd maintained it as long as he had. "It's draining her mana. It was put on her sometime within the last five days."

"Let me take a look," said Puck as he popped out of the jewel on Emilia's neck and floated over Rem's shaking form. Her breathing had become shallow and she seemed to be shivering. "This is bad," said Puck as he placed his tail on her forehead and used his magic to locate the source of the curse. A strange black smoke began emitting from Rem's hand as Emilia examined it.

"It looks like she was bitten," said Emilia, "Some kind of dog I think." Ulric examined the bite as well.

"Did Rem go to the village down the road yesterday?" Questioned Ulric, a theory forming in his head.

"Yes," replied Emilia, "She was getting-." Emilia was cut off as a sudden, and extraordinarily violent blast of wind came racing towards them. Ulric, having glanced in the direction of the sudden movement of air, just managed to raise his left hand in time as he was knocked back several feet. 'That must've been wind magic,' the knight realized painfully as he looked to where the attack had come from. Standing in the entrance to the side hall with her hand raised was Ram, with a look of pure rage on her normally stoic face.

"You!" Growled Ram as she approached with a flurry of wind gathering around her, "What have you done to my sister?!" Ulric rose to his feet shakily, the armor on his left hand bent out of shape as a small amount of blood trickled down it. As he was about to answer, Emilia stepped between them.

"It wasn't him," explained Emilia, "He's the one who brought her back here. Your sister's been cursed-."

"BY HIM!" yelled Ram as she fired off another blast of scathing wind. Emilia quickly put up a shield of thin ice to stop the attack, though the ice was still shattered in the process. "I knew from the start he was trouble! With the stench of the witch covering him, what else could he possibly be here for!" As she was about to unleash another attack, a ring of fire balls suddenly began dancing around both her and Emilia.

"Now whaaat seems to be the problem," said the familiar voice of Lord Roswaal as he came walking down the main stairway, "There's no neeeed for such viiiiiolence here now is there?"

"This bastard of a knight cursed my sister!" Ram said angrily, clearly not wanting to listen to reason.

"I had nothing to do with your sister's condition," said Ulric as he approached slowly, "Check the bite on her hand, it belongs to a dog." Roswaal kneeled down and did just that as he examined the maid's hand.

"Heeeee is correct dear Ram," said Roswaal as he stood back up, "But whereeeee did it come from?"

"Ulric believes she got it at the village when she was picking up food," explained Emilia, "It may have been the mabeasts."

"And how would he know such a thing?!" Questioned Ram, "He claims to have little to no knowledge of Lugnica, yet he's certain he knows where the curse came from!" Ulric took a shaky breath before explaining. 'This has gone on long enough,' he thought, 'I never meant to pit them against each other like this. Only the whole truth may yet resolve this situation.'

"I know because that same curse was put on me," explained Ulric, "This is not my first time at this mansion. You see, for whatever reason, I can come back from d-." Something was off, he noticed as everyone seemed to have stopped moving. What was more, all sound seemed to have ceased as a dreadful presence filled the air. The next thing he knew, a purple ethereal hand reached from seemingly out of nowhere and grasped his heart.

The knight could hardly breath as a chill he'd never felt before ran through his body. It was a more terrifying feeling than seeing an enemy army on the horizon, because he knew somehow there was no fighting this. Then, just as quickly as it occurred, the hand retreated and time seemed to resume. Ulric collapsed to one knee, breathing heavily as he grasped his heart. 'You mean, I can't tell a soul,' he realized, 'or I die anyway.'

"Ulric," he heard Emilia say, "What's wrong, is everything alright?" The knight looked back up, noting that everyone else was now moving normally again as well.

"Yes I'm fine," he managed to answer as he stood back up, "Just a bit of pain from lack of mana I think. But that's not important right now, we need-." Their conversation was cut off by a nearly inhuman wail as they looked over towards Ram. The pink-haired maid was clutching her sister's hand while tears streamed down her eyes. Ulric had seen such a seen before and knew what was happening. They were too late to save the blue-haired maid. Roswaal had a comforting hand on Ram's shoulder as he directed his gaze towards them.

"This was indeed a curse," he said with a serious tone as he stood up, "Sir Knight, if you do have any information on who's responsible, I'd like to hear it now."

"I can do better than that," said Ulric as he held up a finger, another idea presenting itself to him, "I just need one thing, a bottle of the most fast acting poison you have on hand. As I said, I was inflicted with this same curse and I know of a way that I can find the shaman responsible for this."

"Iiiiinteresting," said Roswaal as he withdrew a vial from his pockets, "I've never heard of a method using poison to locate a shaman. I'd very much like to see this."

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised a man such as you carries poison on him," said Ulric as he accepted the vial and uncorked it.

"I ordinarily use it for experrrrrrrimentation," replied Roswaal, "Don't make me regret this sir knight."

"That's where the second thing I need comes in," said Ulric, "You, Ram, Emilia and everyone else. I need you to trust me." With that last statement, he downed the poison in one quick gulp. For a brief moment he felt pain as all of his muscles seized up to the point he couldn't breathe. Then he slipped into what was now the familiar sensation of death.

 **And so the plot thickens, or at the very least grows more complicated for our knight as he now goes willingly to death for the chance to save a life. Who or what is really responsible for the curse, and even if he finds out, will it be enough to curb the wrath of the maids? In the mean time, though, I hope you all enjoyed this latest chapter and do feel free to leave a comment or a review about what you liked, disliked, or if you've got a cool idea to help the story along. Be sure to stop in next time as Ulric learns of some of the dark forces in the land of Lugnica. 'Til next time.**


	12. The True Culprit of The Curse

**The True Culprit of The Curse**

Jerusalem 1186:

Ulric rushed the assassin, the sound of his steel-plated greaves drawing his prey's attention, but not in time for her to stop him from barreling into her. But the assassin had skill and managed to twist as they fell, causing the two of them to land on their backs. Thanks to his chainmail, Ulric was slower to get up than the assailant, who attempted to flee. She wasn't quite fast enough, however, as Ulric's hand shot out and managed to grasp her ankle, causing her to tumble over as the knight yanked her back towards him.

The assassin was a tenacious one, though, and kicked back viciously with her other foot, getting a rather good hit on Ulric's nose. The pain of the kick caused the knight to reflexively let go of his captive, who scrambled up and away. Ulric was right behind her as he pushed himself up and into a straight up run. He heard the sound of the generals shouting in his direction as he chased after his quarry, leaping in through a low window and then back out the other side. She attempted to lose him by make abrupt turns down random alleys as they went further into the destroyed portion of the city.

'I'm not sure how much she knows of the city,' thought Ulric, 'but if she keeps going, she'll run into a dead end, which is perfect for me.' The knight kept running after the assailant and, as hoped, they wound up at a dead end where some of the buildings had caved in due to a few catapult shots. They hadn't had time to clear every last bit of the rubble before their enemies had been upon them to retake the city, so they had to leave a few sections by the wayside. Ulric found it ironic in a way that the annoying rubble that had been created by the city's taking would now be to his benefit, or so he thought.

As he approached, the female assassin leapt at him from the shadows with a dagger aimed at his head. Ulric just managed to duck to the side as he drew his own sword and swung low, attempting to wound her. But his opponent was light on her feet and hopped over his strike while jabbing at his face. 'I'm starting to regret leaving my helmet at the barracks,' thought Ulric as he just managed to move his head out of the way before swinging another horizontal strike.

The assassin moved back and out of reach of his strike before attempting another slash, this time at his neck. The knight brought his sword up and warded off the blow before swinging his left leg out against his enemy's ankle. The strike caught her off balance, causing her to fall back onto the ground with Ulric's sword now hovering over her. "I'd rather not kill a woman if I can avoid it," said Ulric, "If you surrender now and tell us all you know, I'm certain my fellow knights will not be too harsh on you."

She seemed to think this over for a moment before outstretching a hand. Ulric switched his sword to his left hand as he helped her up. "I surrender only to Allah!" She suddenly yelled as she slashed at Ulric's face with a dagger she'd been concealing. It was only thanks to jerking backwards in surprise that Ulric did not get his throat cut, but he still suffered a painful slash across the left side of his face.

The assassin shrieked as she attempted another jab, this time at Ulric's eye. But the knight was ready for the strike this time as he fell to one knee while bringing his sword up in one simultaneous motion. The surprised assassin didn't have time to slow down as she impaled herself on the blade. It was then that Ulric saw her face clearly for the first time. He'd assumed she'd been a woman, but upon closer inspection he saw that she was practically his age, meaning he hadn't killed a woman but a girl.

'Blast it all,' thought Ulric as he lowered his fallen adversary to the ground, watching the light fade from her eyes. 'I was hoping to take her alive for questioning, now here she lays, another unnecessary death in a war that should be over.' Ulric removed his blade from the dead assassin, his hands moving on their own as he cleaned the blood off of his blade before sheathing it, all the while his mind raced. 'Jerusalem is ours now, the crusade should be over or at the very least near completion, so why does the enemy persist when it is obvious who God has allowed to have the holy city?'

Questions continued to race through his mind as a number of other knights gathered around the scene. The rest was something of a blur to the knight as he got the cut across his face cleaned while also being congratulated on stopping an attempted assassination on the generals, though not without a request to try and bring them in alive next time. In spite of that, he didn't sleep very well that night as he kept trying to reassure himself that their crusade was justified, that every enemy they slew deserved their death at the end of their blades. But Ulric couldn't shake what he saw out of his mind, the girl's eyes, they looked like his did at one point, like someone who didn't have the slightest clue what they'd gotten themselves into.

Roswaal Mansion: The Fourth First Day

'I wonder if my eyes look like that now,' thought Ulric as he slowly awakened, rubbing the old scar on his face, 'because I just committed suicide on a whim, a grievous offense to my God on the hunch that I would be able to simply return again. Though I'm fairly certain now that this jealous witch is the one to blame for my being here in the first place and my seeming ability to return to a time before death. Whatever the case, I couldn't bear to hear the sound of Ram crying or the look of sadness in Emilia's eyes. But most of all, I couldn't bear the sight of Rem suffering for something that was meant for me.'

'Even if she did attack me, I now know it was all a misunderstanding. So in order to repay the maids, their master and lady Emilia for their kindness, the least I can do is find the one responsible for inflicting the curse and remove them.' The sound of movement reminded Ulric that he wasn't alone in the room as he opened his eyes to what was now a very familiar ceiling. "Sis, sis it appears our guest is awake," it was the voice he'd been hoping to hear, and at that moment it was one of the most relaxing sounds he'd ever heard.

"Rem, Rem he is awake, but still seems quite out of it," added Ram. It was exactly what he'd expected from the two of them, and while it was still a slight irritant, it was also incredibly reassuring.

"Ah, my apologies," said Ulric as he sat up in his bed, "I realize the two of you probably have much more important matters to attend to than watching over a sleeping guest. So simply point me to some clothing I can wear and I'll do the rest. After all, I imagine this will be a busy day for all of us." This confused the maids a bit, but they did as he asked and indicated the clothes they'd left for him before exiting the room. 'Now,' thought Ulric, 'To come up with a new plan, one that hopefully won't end up with anyone dead this time.'

As before, Ulric met with Roswaal and made his request to be trained in magic, pretending once again that this was the first time he'd had this conversation. He also had to act like he'd never seen the mansion before, meaning he had to try and act at least somewhat surprised when he was given the tour. One thing he did differently this time was make a habit of walking by the kitchen from time to time, keeping his ears open about how the supplies were doing. 'I need to take some time to earn the maid's trust before I ask to go to the town,' he thought, 'The best time will be when they start to run low on seasoning, so I have to make it seem like I just happened to overhear them. I'll also need to speak to Beatrice about curses again, otherwise she might start asking too many questions about how I knew I had a curse on me in the first place, questions I now know I can't answer.'

On the upside, this being his fourth go at the mansion, he had little trouble activating Jiwald during his first magic lesson and maintaining it for three minutes. "Now that's pretty good," said Puck as Ulric ended the spell, his breathing still somewhat heavy from the use of his mana, "I guess even if you didn't perform magic where you came from, you were still tapping into your mana just a little bit."

"You're too kind teacher Puck," Ulric said with a bow as he stood up, "though, since I appear to be capable of using a spell for enhancing my physical abilities, do you think I'd be capable of projecting magic out of my hands like you and Emilia?"

"Now that's a little different," said Puck as he scratched his chin with his paw, "It's one thing to gather it in your body and keep it there, but for projectile attacks you need to gather mana within the palm or palms of your hand and then release it. The trick is not to gather more mana than you can control at once, otherwise it might explode in your hand before you release it."

"I'm starting to wonder just how many mages exploded before they discovered how to use mana properly," said Ulric.

"Oh many more than we've got the time to count," said Puck, "But they didn't have a being with centuries of experience teaching them. So like before, just let me help you focus while you provide the mana." The mystical cat once again landed on top of Ulric's head and resumed the meditative pose he'd taken at the start of their lesson. "This is another simple spell, but it will prove quite effective if used properly, just focus on gathering the mana to the palm of your hand and say Ki Jiwald."

"Sounds simple enough in theory," said Ulric as he held his hand up. Emilia quickly formed a few large ice spikes on the ground to give the knight a target. As before, he visualized mana passing through his gate but this time he focused on the palm of his hand. Soon enough, his palm began to glow with blue energy as the mana gathered there, waiting to be released. "Ki Jiwald!" Exclaimed the knight as the blast left his hand, causing it to sting from some slight burning as the shot went wide.

Instead of impacting against any of the ice spikes, the small orb went up into the air, curved around and impacted on the grass next to the garden. "Ouch," said Puck, "A little closer and Rem would've been upset, she just fertilized that garden."

"You'll forgive me for not feeling a lot of sympathy for the garden at the moment," said Ulric as he examined the small burns on his hand, "I'm more concerned with the possibility of burning my hand every time I use this."

"Well it's like I've been saying," Said Puck, "Mana control takes time as your gate has to adjust to the flow of magic. While you've gotten a better hang of casting a spell by allowing mana to enter your body, it takes a bit more control to focus it at one point because you're summoning it to the outside of your body and in a specific shape."

"So basically, keep practicing until my body can handle the basics and then move up," said Ulric.

"In a manner of speaking," replied Puck, "What's most important right now is to work on your control, so if Emilia's willing we'll give it another shot."

"Just try not to hit me on accident," said Emilia, who was now standing behind one of the pillars of the pergola in the garden.

"I can only promise that I will try," said Ulric as he raised his hand to attempt another blast. And try he did, over and over again until he finally managed to make one fly straight and shatter the ice spike he'd been aiming for.

"At long last," cheered Puck as Emilia gave some applause of her own, "I was afraid I was starting to make an imprint on your head with all of the sitting I've been doing."

"I just wish your claws didn't dig into my scalp every time I fired the spell," said Ulric as he lifted Puck off of his head. The cat spirit floated back to Emilia's shoulder as the half elf approached them.

"It took some time for me to master firing ice crystals," said Emilia as she examined Ulric's hand and began healing the burns, "But if you keep going, you'll be able to fire blasts like those in quick succession without getting tired."

"I hope so," replied the knight as he caught his breath, "Getting tired after only a dozen or so shots would be rather inconvenient in a fight, and I'd like to stop singeing my hands with every use. Thank you for healing them by the way."

"It's my pleasure," said Emilia, "It wouldn't do for a knight to be without the use of his hands."

"A truly tenacious knight wouldn't be deterred by such a thing," replied Ulric, "We've been trained and taught to give our lives in service to our king and our God, and thus we give everything, even our bodies until our enemies are vanquished."

"It is an admirable quality," said Emilia, "being willing to die for one's beliefs. But there's no need for you to die right now, so please, try not to overdo it in your training."

"I wouldn't be a very good knight if I died preparing myself for combat," said Ulric, "But if it pleases her ladyship, you have my word as a knight that I will try to avoid injuring myself." 'And I need to be in good condition to deal with whoever or whatever this shaman might be.'

"It would also please me if you weren't so formal," said Emilia, "you're my friend and I'd like you to speak to me as a friend."

"Just old habits your ladyship," replied Ulric with a bow, "But as before, I will try, Emilia." This earned a smile from the white-haired girl as they finished up their lesson. Soon enough it was time for Ulric to attend his lessons on writing the native language. As always he traded barbs with Ram on his ability to write coherently, but given that he'd also done this a few times before, she couldn't make too many remarks.

The next few days passed in much the same manner, with Ulric continuing to learn magic and writing as before. But unlike before, he didn't patrol the grounds given that he knew where the threat would be coming from and instead focused on furthering his training and being a good guest. During that time, he also had a discussion with Beatrice about a few items he needed to know.

"And just what is it you want now?" Questioned the miniature magic user as Ulric finally managed to find the door leading to her library. He found it quite annoying that the room changed doors every so often, but in the end he figured there must be a reason for it.

"I had some questions about the jealous witch," said Ulric, "The stories only tell me so much and I'm not sure all of it is true."

"Obviously rumors and stories will crop up everywhere about the jealous witch I suppose," replied Beatrice as she turned a page in the book she was reading, "But one fact everyone agrees on is that she was a white-haired half elf name Satella."

"I see," said Ulric, "that certainly explains why Emilia hides her identity from time to time."

"The jealous witch caused great havoc in her time," said Beatrice, "In her jealousy, she took the power of her sisters and drained much of the world. Her flesh was said to be ageless and near indestructible and even after being sealed by a sage, a dragon, and a hero her influence can still be seen, most notably in the mabeasts that roam certain parts of the land as well as in other facets of life."

"And what about people who have the witch's scent on them?" Questioned Ulric.

"That's difficult to say I suppose," Replied Beatrice, "In most cases, the witch's scent is on those belonging to her cults. I can assure you they are all quite insane, but I imagine you're inquiring about your own personal state of affairs."

"It recently came to my attention that I possess a scent that smells like the witch's," said Ulric, "I was wondering what that could mean." Beatrice sniffed the air near Ulric for a moment before clapping her hand over her nose.

"That is most certainly the witch's scent I suppose," said Beatrice, "As to why you have it or what the witch intends to do with you, though, is something I'm afraid I can't answer. Now would you please leave, you're stinking up my library."

"Of course," said Ulric with a slight bow, "Thank you again for your insight, it's been enlightening to say the least."

"You're welcome I suppose," said Beatrice as she motioned her hand in a 'shooing' motion, "Now be on your way before I blast you out." Ulric simply gave a quick laugh at that as he exited the room. 'Well I guess that means there's nothing to be done about the scent,' Ulric thought as he made his way down the hallway, 'I'll just have to earn Rem and Ram's trust another way. For now, I need to contend with this shaman.'

The Fourth Fourth Day

The time had come at last for Ulric to put his plan into motion, or at least what he had passing for a plan. As before, he woke up, went through his daily combat forms with the purple blade and grabbed breakfast before his lesson in magic. By this point, he'd managed to keep the mystical orbs he was creating from singeing his hands, but he still didn't have full control of which direction the blasts went. 'A number of my blasts seem to simply veer off in a random direction,' he observed, 'If I wind up using this in battle right now, it'll have to be a last resort at close range.'

"I think that'll have to be enough for today," said Puck as he floated off of Ulric's head and landed back on Emilia's shoulder. "Your mana's going to need time to restore itself and the ground is starting to get a bit too torn up."

"I'm afraid I'll have to agree with you on that," said Ulric as he examined his hands, "I just remembered there was something I wished to do today and I'm running out of daylight to do it."

"Is it something you might need a hand with?" Questioned Emilia, being her overly kind self as always.

"It's nothing overly important," replied Ulric, "I simply wish to visit the local village down the road. If I recall, you have more important matters to attend to, namely studying for the royal selection. It would be irresponsible of me to pull you away from that."

"One should always spare time for a friend," said Emilia, "At least that's what I believe. But you are right, I do need to study, but should you need anything just remember you only have to ask."

"As always you're too kind," said Ulric, "But I will keep it in mind." With that, Ulric turned and headed back into the mansion. 'Now if I remember correctly, Ram and Rem should be taking stock of the kitchen right about now. They'll discover the kitchen is low on seasoning, so the plan will be to head to the village the next day, but if we head there a day early then I can find the mongrel responsible for planting the curse in the first place.'

The knight navigated his way through the now familiar mansion and, luckily enough, arrived right on time as the two maids were working in the kitchen, preparing some of the food for the next meal. "Ah, excellent," said Ulric as he walked into the kitchen, "I was looking for the both of you."

"I appreciate your enthusiasm," said Ram, "But I'm far too busy at the moment to start your latest lesson."

"Actually I was hoping to ask a favor of the two of you," said Ulric, fairly used to Ram's attitude by this point. "I hear the local village where the mansion's food is procured isn't far from here and I was curious as to what it was like. Do either of you happen to have any errands down there?"

"Now that you mention it," said Rem, "We do happen to be a little low on our seasonings for food. I'd actually planned to head down there tomorrow."

"Why not make it today then," suggested Ulric, "My training in the magic arts is done for today, by order of Puck, so I have no pressing matters to attend to." The twins exchanged a glance before Ram gave an answer.

"I don't see any issue with this request," said Ram, "As stated, we do need the ingredients and since Ulric wishes to come with us, he can finally make himself useful by carrying some of the food."

"Well I can't really argue with that," said Ulric, "The two of you have done quite a lot for me since I've arrived here. The least I can do is return the favor every now and then."

"But to insure you behave yourself," said Ram, "I shall come along with you and Rem. You should consider yourself quite lucky sir knight, to be accompanied by two pretty flowers." Ulric almost rolled his eyes at the smug expression on the maid's face, but he agreed nonetheless. 'This will complicate things slightly, so I'll need to approach this situation carefully.'

The Local Village

It was just as Ulric remembered it the first time he'd walked through. Though thanks once again to his death taking him back to the beginning of his time at the mansion, he had to act his best like it was his first time there. It wasn't the biggest village Ulric had been to by any means but it was easy to tell that the villagers were all relatively happy. The village itself had numerous cottages set up around a main square where a type of food market was set up. It was here that Ulric and the maids found themselves as they gathered the needed seasonings and other supplies for the kitchen.

Although one thing Ulric didn't need to pretend about was his surprise at how strong Ram and Rem were when it came to carrying the supplies. It was true that he'd learned all about Rem's incredible strength when she'd tried to kill him in his last life, but that didn't mean he couldn't still be impressed by it, given their petite forms. The villagers were also incredibly friendly, just like the first time, and the children were more than excited to see a new face come down from the Roswaal mansion.

"I don't think they're gonna let up until one of us goes to see what these kids are so excited about," said Ulric as one of the children, a girl with blue hair in a braid, kept pulling at his hand.

"I suppose we have time for a break," said Ram as they set down the supplies they were carrying, "but we can't linger too long. Dinner must still be prepared."

"No need to worry too much about that," said Ulric as he let the small crowd of children lead him around the village, "I imagine this won't take too terribly long." The village only had a few sights to see and the children, being children, were too excited to linger at any one place too long because they wanted him to see the next part of the village. As before, they swapped amusing stories, with Ulric being able to pick out the ones about his knight training that he knew would entertain the children the most while they responded with stories of their own antics around the village as well as what they wanted to do when they grew up. After about an hour they came to the spot that Ulric had been waiting for them to take him too, the fence next to the forest.

The little girl with the braid called out into the forest and a short time later, a little brown puppy with a bald spot on its head came walking out. 'Now comes the difficult part,' thought Ulric, 'I don't like killing dogs in the first place and I most certainly don't want to be subject to the wailing of a bunch of children.' The girl picked up the puppy as it crossed over to the other side of the fence and held it out to be petted by the other children. The knight took that moment to glance back, noting that Ram and Rem were both standing a few feet behind them. 'What's worse, if this just turns out to be a normal puppy that's carrying the curse of someone else, then Ram and Rem will want to know how I knew about it and that's assuming they don't drag me off and kill me right then and there.'

When the girl came to Ulric, he decided there was really only one thing to do. 'Here we go again,' he thought as he scratched the bald-headed pup's ears, and got a quick bite on his hand for his trouble. "Got quite a bite for such a little thing," said Ulric as he examined the teeth marks on his hand.

"That's strange though," said the girl, "He's usually so friendly with everyone."

"I probably looked him in the eye the wrong way," said Ulric as he stood up to leave, "But try not to let that puppy bite anyone else. It wouldn't do for the little thing to be misbehaving." The braid-hair girl smiled and nodded her head in response to that as Ulric turned and left with Ram and Rem.

When they returned to the mansion this time, however, something was a little different. Lord Roswaal was waiting for them at the entrance, wearing a large green coat that was fully buttoned up and covered not only his arms and torso but also his legs as well, not to mention a strange hat that looked like some form of chimney. Ulric had never seen the make of such a coat before but he had a feeling he knew why the eccentric lord was wearing it.

"Ah there you three aaaaare," said Roswaal as he approached them and stopped near the foot of the stairs leading to the mansion's entrance, "That saves me just a bit of time."

"Lord Roswaal," said the two twins as they did their customary bow to their employer after they and Ulric set down the supplies they were carrying.

"I'm not familiar with that type of clothing you're wearing," said Ulric, "But am I to assume you're headed out somewhere?"

"Aaaaah yes," replied Roswaal, "You assume correctly sir knight. I am seeing someone who's a quite a haaaaaassle to deal with in my usual attire. Hence why I am dooooonning my dress clothes."

"You will be gone for the evening?" Questioned Rem with slight curiosity.

"Is there a problem that must be dealt with?" Ram further questioned for her and her sister.

"I simply received a message that troubled me a little," replied Roswaal as he donned his hat. Ulric noted that the strange drawl on some of his syllables was gone for a moment. "So I must attend a meeting of sorts and then make a few rounds on the border. I doubt I'll be home this evening, so I need you two to take caaaaare of things while I'm gone."

"Yes sir, as you command," said both Ram and Rem at the same time.

"And Sir Ulric," said Roswaal as he stopped for a moment, "I'd like you to assist them in keeping things in order."

"Of course," said Ulric with his usual knightly bow, "You have my word as a knight." This answer seemed to satisfy the lord of the manor as he grabbed a hold of his hat and floated into the air. Ulric did his best not to act surprised until Roswaal sped off towards the hills at an incredible speed, leaving the knight in awe of what he'd just witnessed.

"I'm aware that magic is a common occurrence in this land," said the knight, "but surely it's a rarity for a man to actually fly like that?"

"Lord Roswaal is no ordinary wielder of magic," said Rem as she picked up her portion of the food and headed in.

"He is one of the greatest users of magic in these parts," Ram finished for her as she too picked up her portion and went in. Ulric simply sighed as he picked up the barrel he was carrying and brought it in with everything else. As soon as everything was put in its proper place, Ulric headed off to find Beatrice. As before it took a few tries but the knight was finally able to locate the newest door to the mystical library.

"And why have you deemed it necessary to disturb me at this hour," Asked Beatrice, not bothering to look up from her book.

"If you recall the other day, we discussed curses and the methods by which one can contract one," said Ulric.

"I believe I explained all that you needed to know I suppose," replied Beatrice, "Is there a reason you wish to discuss it again?"

"Actually, I wanted to see if you were as good as you say you are," said Ulric, "Because I believe I've somehow been cursed." This seemed to grab the short blonde's attention as she finally looked up from her book.

"I don't see how that's possible," said Beatrice as she hopped off of the stool she was on and approached the knight, "I haven't sensed anything around the mansion that could-." The girl stopped as she sniffed the air for a moment. "That scent, those are definitely traces of a curse I suppose. I guess you were right this time."

"I also have my suspicions about who, or rather what the shaman is," said Ulric, "But from what I can tell the curse hasn't been activated yet, meaning you can still remove it correct?"

"Of course I can remove it I suppose," replied Beatrice, a little offended that she was being doubted, "The question is why should I?"

"For a number of reasons in my opinion," replied Ulric as he held up a few fingers, "one, as you've stated you're an incredibly powerful magic being which means something as simple as this should take hardly any effort on your part. Two, Lord Roswaal asked me to help look after things at the mansion and while I know your relationship with him isn't the best, I doubt you want to put up with him asking you why you knowingly let me die. And three, Emilia might be saddened at my sudden death and by extension Puck will be upset with you for letting me die and making her sad."

Ulric's argument clearly hit the mark as the miniature magic user puffed her cheeks up in frustration before grumpily holding her hand up. "Oh very well, I'll help you this time I suppose, but don't expect any help from me in the future."

"With luck I won't need to ask for it," said Ulric, "But let us deal with the problems at hand first." Beatrice then proceeded to place her glowing hand on Ulric's chest, causing a black mist to start emanating from his hand. "As I thought," he said as he examined his hand, "It was the dog."

"A mabeast I suspect," said Beatrice as she reached up and snatched the black mist, causing it to dissipate almost immediately. "There, you should be fine now." Ulric didn't answer right away as he continued to examine the bite on his hand.

"Tell me," said Ulric as he put his hand down, "These mabeasts of which you speak. Are they capable of cursing more than one person at a time?"

"They are capable of laying a curse any time they bite I suppose," explained Beatrice, "They also tend to activate their curses at dusk." This news actually made the knight pale a little when he realized the implications.

"Thank you again for your assistance," said Ulric as he turned and headed towards the door, "But I've come to realize there is now another pressing matter to be dealt with." Making his way out of Beatrice's library, the knight quickly retrieved his chainmail and armor from his room before sneaking out through a window into the garden. 'How could I have been so thoughtless,' he berated himself as he donned his chainmail, 'I spent all of this time worrying about keeping my life and the lives of those in this mansion safe, not once even considering the possibility that the village below could also be in danger from being cursed.' As soon as he finished pulling on his greaves and gauntlets, he made sure he still had his blade before starting off for the village.

He walked at a brisk pace, doing his best to move quickly while also conserving his energy given that he didn't know what awaited him. He was making enough noise with his walking that he didn't hear the sound of footsteps behind him. In fact, the only reason he knew he was being followed was that the moon just happened to come out from behind the clouds, allowing him to glance a small shadow on the road. He stopped then, noting the almost imperceptible sound of someone else stopping in surprise as well.

"I apologize for not informing you of my departure," said Ulric as he turned to his pursuer, "but I feared you wouldn't believe what I had to say and would instead try to stop me."

"You must realize that sneaking off on your own is even more suspicious," said Rem as she slowly approached until she was a little less than ten feet from the knight. "I had hoped to follow and confirm your intentions with my own eyes, but since you noticed me this soon I have no other choice but to question you now."

"Can you do so while we walk," requested Ulric, "I'm afraid the village may be in mortal peril, so there's little time to waste." The maid seemed to think this over for a moment before nodding her head. They both resumed their trek to the village at a somewhat hurried pace, but they were still slow enough to talk.

"Why do you believe the village is in trouble?" Questioned Rem, "There's been no indication of an issue so far, and you realize that if I find you are lying, I will be forced to take drastic measures to find out the truth from you."

"I heard the village is next to a forest full of so-called mabeasts," explained Ulric, "I was bitten by one of them earlier today, leaving a curse on me. Beatrice removed it not long ago, but the one that bit me was a pup that the children were playing with. It seemed harmless at the time, but I've recently learned that they can bestow more than one curse, meaning anyone that's bitten by that dog will inevitably be cursed as well."

"So you're rushing out alone to investigate," said Rem, "That is a rather reckless action given your lack of knowledge on the monsters of this world."

"If I believed we had more time I would've explained the situation to everyone," said Ulric, "But you were both tasked with watching the mansion. I was simply tasked with looking after things here, so while it is indeed reckless I felt I had no other choice."

"You failed to take into account our other orders," said Rem, "We were also instructed to keep an eye on you. We can't very well do that if we just allow you to leave the mansion unsupervised."

"Well since you're here now, you can help me," said Ulric, "That way all of us can fulfill our obligations." Rem didn't seem convinced by this argument so he continued. "I know you don't trust me, so how about this, when we get there I will strike down the dog. If I turn out to be wrong you can kill me right there on the spot and I won't run or try to stop you."

Rem thought it over for a moment before speaking. "I will accept that for the time being," she said, "So let us hurry and hope you are wrong."

"I am praying that I'm wrong," said Ulric as they increased their pace, "This is not something I would wish to be right about." They halted any further conversation from there as they entered the village. Despite the time of night a number of torches were lit around the village. What was even stranger, several of the villagers were out with torches of their own seemingly trying to find something.

"Has something happened?" Rem questioned one of the passing villagers, who just happened to be the village chief, a brown-haired man wearing a white shirt, red scarf, blue arm bands, a brown vest and pants with a sword in a red sheath on his hip.

"A number of the children disappeared a little while ago," replied the village chief, "We've been searching for them but they don't seem to be here." Ulric put his hand to his chin in thought. 'This is strange, if they're cursed they shouldn't even be able to move unless, the area by the fence.'

"Follow me," said Ulric as he rushed towards the edge of the forest. Rem and the chief followed quickly behind him. They arrived at the area shortly where Ulric motioned the chief to shine his torch on the ground. As he'd suspected, there were fresh tracks that led to the other side of the fence and into the forest. "They must have chased the dog into the forest thinking it was trying to sniff something out."

"There's another problem," said Rem as she pointed to a number of glowing green lanterns that were attached to several of the trees. One of them was out. "The barrier's been breached."

"What was it supposed to keep out?" Questioned Ulric as he examined the area for more tracks.

"The mabeasts," explained Rem, "As creatures of the witch, they possess mystical abilities and are enemies to humanity. A fair number of them live in forests like these."

"So there could be several packs of them nearby," said Ulric as he turned to the village chief, "I need you to gather the villagers. I'll head in first and try to find the children."

"You can't," said Rem suddenly, "A decision like this would normally be left up to Lord Roswaal, but he isn't here at this time. What's also possible is that this could be a diversion to divide our strength and leave the mansion vulnerable."

"I don't think so," replied Ulric, "I discovered the curse by pure chance and you just happened to follow me. During my time in the crusades, if we wanted to cause a diversion we made sure the enemy noticed it and this seems too subtle and too unreliable of a method to me, just poking a hole in a barrier and hoping the beasts of the forest will find it before we do. Not to mention Beatrice and Ram are both back at the mansion, so they should be able to hold an attack off long enough for us to end this. Though if you wish to return I can't stop you."

"But why does this matter to you in the first place?" Questioned Rem, "This is not your home village or even your home land, so why do you feel the need to do this?"

"Because I could've stopped it earlier," said Ulric as he clenched his fist in frustration, "I knew there was something off about that dog but I was more concerned about proving to you and Ram that I was trustworthy so I did nothing! Now I must atone for that and if I have to give my life so that the lives of several others may live then so be it!" Rem was silent as she mulled over his words for a bit.

"Then you'll need this," said the village chief suddenly as he unclipped his sword and handed it to Ulric. "This is the sharpest sword in the village. You've clearly had more experience with battle so you'll need it more than me, and besides, a knight needs a sword." Ulric was surprised but eventually accepted the sword as he pulled it part way out of the sheath and examined it.

"This is indeed a sharp blade," said Ulric, "It's a little lighter than what I'm used to using but I can more than make do with this." He then sheathed the blade and hung it on his hip, feeling surprisingly complete for the first time in a while now that he had a familiar weight on his hip. "You have my thanks, I'll be sure to return it once we're done here."

"Just find them please," said the chief as he turned to head back into the village, "I'll gather the other villagers and head in after you, so please hurry."

"We will," said Rem as she turned to the forest, "Let us go, Sir Knight." Ulric smiled until he heard the sound of chains before looking to notice that Rem had conjured her flail from seemingly nowhere.

"Where were you-?" Ulric was about to inquire before he was quickly cut off by the maid.

"We've wasted enough time as is," said Rem as she hopped the fence and began walking, "We must move quickly if we're going to save the children." 'Well that was a quick turnaround,' Ulric thought as he jumped the fence and followed after Rem, 'But at least she's not using that flail on me this time. Now let's find some beasts to slay!'

 **Whew, a lot happening this chapter but at long last our knight has a sword again and some new enemies to use it on. Also hoping the wrapping up of Ulric's memory of how he got his scar wasn't in a weird place, but that's what comments and reviews are for so don't be shy! Tell me what you liked/disliked or if you got another idea that you think would go great with the story. And if you liked this chapter, be sure to stop in next time as Ulric and Rem come face to face with some mabeasts, and Ulric learns a bit more about the mysterious maid. 'Til next time.**


	13. The Girls Known as Oni

**The Girls Known as Oni**

Mabeast Forest

They trekked carefully through the woods, following Rem's nose once they got too far from the village to see visible tracks. The blue-haired maid led the way with her flail at the ready, stopping to sniff the air from time to time to confirm they were still headed in the right direction. Ulric followed behind her, his hand on the sword he'd been given. Ordinarily, he'd have his sword out and at the ready, but he felt the need to insure Rem trusted having him behind her, so he merely kept ready to draw it at a moment's notice. "I smell humans," said Rem suddenly as she picked up her pace, "They're close by."

"Can you tell if it's the children," Questioned Ulric as he hurried behind her and out into an area with several small hills with no trees.

"I'm not certain, but it's definitely not beasts," replied Rem as they climbed over some of the small hills until they came to the top of the clearing. There, they found a number of small, prone forms illuminated by the moonlight.

"This is them," said Ulric as they hurried over and kneeled by them. He checked them carefully, easily recognizing that they were still breathing but something was off. "They seem to be alive, but their breathing is getting shallow."

"They appear to be inflicted with weakness," observed Rem as she kneeled by some of the others, "This is most likely due to the curse that was inflicted on them." Ulric looked over the children's prone forms and confirmed that each of them had been bitten in one place or another.

"Do you have any sort of spell that may be able to help them?" Questioned Ulric as he remembered the rules of curses.

"I can't reverse the effects of a spell this powerful," replied Rem, "My sister is a better magic wielder than I am. For now, all I can do is cast a healing spell and once they're stable we should be able to carry them back with us." The maid brought her hands together, causing a soothing type of light to emit from them as the knight watched the children relax a bit from the pain they were in.

"Do everything you can," said Ulric as he noticed something out of place, or rather someone. "We're missing one, the girl with the braid is gone."

"You can't be planning to go after her alone," said Rem, "If the mabeast drug her away then it's very likely she's already dead."

"If she is, then I at least owe it to the village to find out for sure," said Ulric as he drew his sword, "And besides, I'm not the usual helpless prey these animals are used to dealing with."

"And these are not ordinary beasts," said Rem as she grabbed Ulric's left wrist to stop him, "mabeasts come in many forms and there's no telling what awaits us further in the forest. Not to mention, we don't know when the villagers will arrive and there's always the possibility that if you proceed alone you may wind up lost and I'd be unable to find you again."

"You'd be able to find me," said Ulric as he looked back with a small smirk, "I have no doubt about that."

"You're surprisingly confident in my abilities," said Rem, "Why would you think I'd be able to accomplish such a feat?"

"I've been told that I have something of an abnormal odor," replied Ulric, "I believe you'd call it the witch's scent."

"Wait, so you are aware of it," questioned Rem with a bit of surprise in her voice, "And you're aware of the fact that I can smell it?"

"I'm aware of only that much," replied Ulric, "I have a couple theories on how the witch's scent got on me, but we haven't time to discuss them now. Right now, the only thing I can offer you is my word as a knight that I will come back one way or another. I already trust you to do everything you can to help these children, so please, trust me to do my part as well." Rem remained silent for a moment before finally speaking up.

"I will trust you on one condition," said Rem, "When you come back, answer my questions. I don't care if your answers are facts or theories you've formulated, answer them to the best of your ability because I will have many for you."

"You have my word," said Ulric with a slight bow as he turned and headed further into the forest. 'Good luck,' Rem thought to herself as she continued to heal the children. The light from her healing spell quickly disappeared behind the knight as he found himself once again in a mass of trees and bushes, some of which he occasionally had to push aside. It was too thick in the trees for the moon's light to be of any help, or at least it was for the first few minutes. But then, Ulric noticed another clearing illuminated by the moon's light.

In that clearing was a rather large, hollow log. But what really caught the knight's attention was a pair of small little legs sticking out right next to it. 'There she is,' he thought as he moved to step forward before stopping abruptly, 'just lying there all alone, after being drug away from the main group by rabid beasts.' Every instinct Ulric had developed over the years told him this was one thing and thing only, a trap.

'In this light, I might be able to toss something without being seen,' He thought as he looked around before spotting a small stone. The knight scooped it up and then, looking around one last time, chucked it into the clearing right next to the braid girl. He waited for nearly a full minute, noting that nothing happened after the stone struck the ground. 'Guess I have no choice but to move in and find out myself.'

Moving cautiously, the knight moved out of his hiding spot among the foliage, his eyes sweeping the clearing as he approached. Once he reached the girl, he knelt down and checked her breathing, noting that she was also suffering from the same curse as the others. 'The good news is, she's alive,' he thought before the sound of rustling drew his attention, 'the bad news. This was exactly what I thought it was, a trap.'

Readying his sword, the knight waited as the creature stepped out of the foliage. Its appearance was somewhat familiar to him, and at the same time, terrifyingly different. It had the appearance of a black and brown dog breed known as a Doberman but with a horn on its nose and tusk-like teeth jutting out of the sides of its mouth. Small, bony spikes lined its back and what appeared to be some kind of glowing slashes on its side. But what told Ulric that this was a creature of darkness was its glowing red eyes.

'So this is a creature of the witch's magic,' he thought, 'heresy given form. Such a creature needs to perish.' The knight stepped forward, only to be surprised as the creature seemed to fade back into the shadows. Ulric stood ready as he listened to the rustling in the bushes, trying to determine where his attacker would emerge from. Then the rustling stopped for a moment, only to be immediately replaced with the sound snarling as the mabeast rushed out of the foliage on his left side, leaping up into the air with its sharp jaws aimed at his throat.

"Too slow!" declared Ulric as he as he stepped to the left and swung at the beast. He felt blade meet flesh as the body crashed to the ground, missing the upper half of its jaw and face. "Sharpest sword indeed," said Ulric as he wiped the blood off the blade before checking the corpse. He'd seen enough dead bodies to know that this one's lack of movement meant it was assuredly deceased. 'Alright, now I just need to-,' his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of more rustling.

Peering into the shadows, Ulric's breath caught. Numerous red eyes were staring back at him, and all of them looked hungry. 'This is bad,' the knight realized as he backed up to stand in front of the braided girl, 'One was easy, but one bite from any of these beasts and I'm as good as finished. The knight glanced back at the one he was protecting one more time and made his decision.

Bending down, he picked up the girl and braced his feet. "Jiwald!" Said Ulric as blue light enveloped his body, allowing him to leap away into the foliage beyond. It was one of the few times in his life he'd made the decision to retreat on his own. The sound of snarling was close behind him as the mabeast rushed after him. 'I can't fight with the girl in my arms,' he thought as he managed to knock away one of the mabeasts that had gotten too close, 'the best I can do is ward them off with my sword arm while running.'

To make matters worse, Jiwald was keeping him ahead of the mabeasts for now but it was draining his mana. He'd finally managed to get it to last for five minutes, but once he ended the spell he'd be too exhausted to fight, let alone defend anyone. As he retraced his steps, some of the beasts leapt out of the bushes on his left with their teeth bared. But Ulric managed to leap upward and kick off a nearby tree.

He bounced from one tree to another until he saw the clearing in the distance. Landing on the clearing edge, the knight rushed across grassy hills as several mabeast emerged right behind him. A few tried to leap at his back, so close that Ulric swore he could feel their breath. Then the sound of breaking bones greeted his ears as Ulric looked back to see a familiar chain being pulled back to its owner before she swung it back again to take out several more mabeasts with apparent ease.

"The rest of the villagers arrived and they've moved the children to safety," said Rem as she landed next to Ulric, "It'd be best if you conserved your mana from this point on."

"That's excellent news," said Ulric as he ended his spell, "But we've still got mabeasts coming for us. Any chance you can hold them all off with your power?"

"I'm afraid there are too many," said Rem as she swatted a few more away with her flail, "But if we make it back to the barrier, they won't be able to follow."

"A battle won by retreat," said Ulric as he stabbed a mabeast that had gotten past Rem, "Not something I'm used to, but I'll make an exception this time."

"I'll keep them off you," said Rem as she slammed the morning star portion of her weapon into the ground and yanked it across the dirt, creating a massive cloud of dust. It wasn't much, but it slowed down the main pack of mabeasts enough for the two of them to make it back into the foliage on the other side of the clearing. It didn't take long for the mabeasts to catch up, however, and before long Rem had to strike back at the ones that got too close. 'A fighting retreat is one of the more difficult combat maneuvers,' thought Ulric as he knocked another mabeast away, 'but I can see the bonfire of the village in the distance, we're nearly there!'

That was when it happened, a glow from further back in the forest drew his attention as he noticed a smaller shape among more of the mabeasts. With a single bark, he felt the land start to shift as a mass of dirt and mud suddenly came sliding towards them. 'One of these monsters can create landslides,' he thought frantically as the mass of soil and earth rushed towards him. "Jiwald," said Ulric as he activated the spell for just a few moments, managing to leap up to a tree in time, looping his arm around a branch.

But the branch broke somewhat, causing Ulric to slip on the trunk of the tree as he began dangling by his sword arm, which was now caught up in a tangle of other branches. 'This is bad,' he realized as several mabeast leapt up towards the tree where he was hanging. At the last second, Rem's flail came out of nowhere, tearing through the mabeasts. Ulric looked over in time to see her clear out another small number before she was jumped by the main pack.

"Rem!" called Ulric as a couple of the mabeasts managed to sink their teeth into her, dragging her over a cliff and into a gulley. He managed to free himself from the branch he was caught in before sliding down the gulley to find the maid's motionless form lying on the ground. She was bloody and covered partially in dirt, with the only good news being that she'd somehow managed to kill the mabeast that attacked her before she fell. 'I can't just leave her here,' he thought as he approached, 'but I can't fight back if I'm carrying both of them. My only chance is to use Jiwald again for whatever time I have left.'

But the decision would soon be taken out of his hands as the main pack, which had apparently become emboldened at seeing her fall, all stood atop the gulley, growling in anticipation. It was then that he heard it, the sound of Rem's chain moving again. Ulric could hardly keep his amazed expression off of his face as the maid stood up once again with her weapon in hand. His expression quickly changed to one of confusion, though, as he watched a strange occurrence. A glowing, pink horn began growing out of her head as her eyes opened, with an expression of murderous glee on her face.

Ulric still didn't know a lot about the magic of this realm, but he knew for sure that the aura she was emitting could be described in no other way but ominous. It didn't help that she chose that moment to start laughing, and not in a happy way, but in a disturbing way. It was the kind of laugh Ulric had heard a few times before, and every time it belonged to someone who'd been driven crazy during a battle and found it gleeful to spill more and more blood. It was the laugh of one gripped by insanity.

"Hahahaha, more dead mabeasts, yes more dead mabeasts!" She said as she leapt forward, swinging her flail wildly around her, smashing through several mabeasts at once with each swing. All the while, Ulric stood and watched her in horrid fascination, unable to tear his eyes away from the sight. 'What is she?' he thought to himself, 'I knew she wasn't an average maid, but this, this is the work of something beyond a mortal person, this is a monster.' A very efficient monster too, given how she was decimating the mabeasts numbers.

"Yes, die, die, die mabeasts, hahahahaha! Oh no," said Rem as several of the beasts retreated back into the forest. "Oh no, it's too early for them to be running away already." It was then that she turned her gaze back towards Ulric, her blood covered form creating a terrifying sight, "I suppose we should finish up here, don't you think?" Ulric didn't answer at first as she started walking towards him, dragging her weapon behind her.

Just as she got within striking range with her weapon, Ulric raised his sword defensively, gently setting the girl in his left arm down as he did so. "Stay back," said the knight as he took a fighting stance between Rem and the village girl.

"Oh of course," said Rem, her wicked smile unbroken by this turn of events, "You come from a different land where they know next to nothing about magic. I imagine seeing an oni like me would be quite a shock. But don't worry sir knight, I'm not going to hurt you, well at least not right now."

"I don't know what that word 'oni' means," said Ulric, "I have a lot of questions at this moment and no time for any of them to be answered except this one. Are you still the Rem that I know?" This question actually caused the maid to frown for once as she answered.

"It seems you really don't understand," she said, "This 'is' the Rem you know. I was born an oni and even if I lose this horn on my head, I will die an oni." Ulric took this to thought as he gazed at the girl in front of him before raising his hand.

"Kito Jiwald," He uttered as the magic gathered into his hand and fired. A look of surprise arose on Rem's face as the blue sphere rushed towards her, and passed right by her head. The spell impacted against a few mabeasts that had leapt at the oni girl, blasting them apart in a shower of blood and bone. Rem was so surprised that her horn disappeared from her head as quickly as it appeared.

"Rem doesn't understand," said the maid as she turned to look back at Ulric with confusion.

"As I said, I have a lot of questions," replied Ulric, "But I also still can't fight effectively with a little girl under one arm. So whether I like it or not, I still need your help for the time being. And I missed." Rem nodded at this as she turned around and smashed a few more mabeasts that had attempted to take her by surprise before the both of them ran towards the village. They didn't stop running until they had leapt over the fence. It was there that Ulric was greeted to his second surprise of the evening.

"You two made it back," said Emilia as she, Ram, and Beatrice approached the fence they'd just leapt over, "I'm glad. When Ram told me you both went down here to investigate something, I couldn't stop worrying."

"Your worry is justified," said Ulric as he sheathed his sword and changed to carrying the village girl bridal style, "But it's this child and the others who are in need now. Also, the barrier needs to be repaired if possible."

"You just let us worry about that," said Puck as he floated out of Emilia's hair and landed on Beatrice's head, "Betty and I can take care of the children."

"And Ram and I will get to work on the barrier," said Emilia, "But first tell me, are either of you injured?"

"I sustained a few injuries," said Rem as her sister began checking her over, "But it's nothing my natural healing won't be able to fix."

"Either way, you may as well come along with us," said Puck as he waved them to follow, "We can heal any injuries you may have gotten." Ulric nodded as he and Rem followed the spirit and the small magic user to one of the larger cottages. Inside, some of the villagers were caring for the other children as a light hovered over them.

"It seems you got back just in time I suppose," said Beatrice as she directed Ulric to set the village girl he was carrying down next to the rest of them. "The curse is still active upon all of them at the moment, so right now the best I can do is provide enough mana to keep them alive I suppose."

"You told me curses couldn't be stopped once activated," whispered Ulric, making sure the other villagers in the cottage didn't hear him, "Is there no other way to help them?"

"The mabeasts you encountered were known as wolgarm," explained Beatrice, "They activate their curses after half a day to collect mana. In a way, it's one of the ways they feed I suppose. Ordinarily, they'd keep draining mana until the ones afflicted die, but if they become too full they should stop."

"Will you be able to remove the curses then?" Questioned Ulric, "Just like you did for me?"

"I can't say so as of yet," replied Beatrice, "For now, me and Bubby need to concentrate on keeping them alive. So for now, just wait outside or check on Emilia and Ram. You stink of mabeasts." Ulric simply nodded as he headed back out into the village. Given that there was little he could do at the moment, he decided to seek out Emilia and ask her a few burning questions that had been scratching at the back of his mind.

Fortunately, he found her exactly where he left her at the broken entrance to the barrier, while Ram was nowhere to be seen. "Oh, Ulric," said Emilia, glancing in his direction while keeping her hands held up. A type of green light was emanating from them, slowly lighting the lantern that kept the barrier in place. "I don't know how you knew, but I'm glad you did," said Emilia, "Though I really wish you'd come to me with this first before coming here."

"I didn't know of the full nature of the threat until later I'm afraid," replied Ulric, "Had I known what the mabeasts were truly capable of, I would've told Ram and Rem when we visited here earlier. But given the suspicions they've harbored towards me ever since I arrived I thought it best to handle the situation on my own. That turned out to be an error when I discovered how much I'd underestimated the situation. This all happened due to my own misjudgment."

"This isn't all your fault," said Emilia, "I'll admit I should've done a better job convincing Roswaal and the others that you're a friend. I also should've given you more reason to confide in me, especially if you thought there was a problem. As someone trying to be a ruler, people should be able to trust me."

"I do trust you Emilia," said Ulric, "That's why I've come to ask you about the twins."

"Ram and Rem?" Asked Emilia with a questioning glance at him, "What do you need to know about them?"

"Well it's also a question for you as well," said Ulric, "Are you aware that the two of them are apparently creatures called 'oni'?"

"They wanted it to remain a secret," replied Emilia, "I don't know if there are demons where you come from, but here-."

"YOU'RE TELLING ME ONI ARE DEMONS?!" Exclaimed Ulric as he stepped forward with his fists clenched, "And you knowingly allow them near you?!"

"I mean of course I do," said Emilia, a little taken aback by the knight's sudden outburst, "They may not be human but that doesn't mean they're evil."

"But that's what demons are where I come from," said Ulric, "Fallen angels who have been twisted into sinister monsters. They are agents of evil bent on spreading misery across the world! And if they were summoned to serve Roswaal then who does their master serve?!"

"You're not making any sense," said Emilia as she put her hands down and turned to Ulric, "Roswaal didn't summon them, he found them. He gave them jobs as maids so that they'd have work as well as food to eat and a roof over their heads."

"Demons don't need to eat?" Questioned Ulric, "They are fed by the pain and sorrow of humanity. They bring about misfortune wherever they go and they laugh all while we mortals stumble around in the dark. Their greatest pleasure comes in the form of testing our faith and reveling in their victory when we renounce it and give our souls up to them!"

"THAT'S ENOUGH SIR KNIGHT!" Emilia practically screamed, "I think I see what's going on now. You don't have the same demons as we do here. What you describe as a demon sounds more like an evil spirit than what Ram and Rem are. No, here what we call demons are more like demi humans that are capable of hiding their true form. They are a race of people with many subclasses."

"I don't understand," said Ulric, "how can a demon also be a human."

"You misunderstand," said Emilia, "here, what we call demons are living, breathing creatures just like humans, or elves, or even lizard or dog men. Oni are demons with the ability to protrude special horns from their heads to increase their collection of mana from the air. They're just as much a part of the physical world as you or I."

"You're quite right," said Ulric, "I don't understand. Are demons not monsters in this land, are they not bringers of destruction?"

"Ram and Rem are here serving Roswaal because all they had was destroyed," said Emilia, "Their home, their family, everything. Were it not for Roswaal, they'd both be dead." This statement only served to confuse Ulric further. "It's a rather personal matter for the two of them and it would probably be better if they explained it to you. But you have to realize Ulric that this is not the land you hail from and our ways are likely very different from yours. So please, as a favor to me, try to get to know them and their ways a little."

"If," Ulric had to bite back a few words as he continued to speak, "If that is your wish. As your guest and student, I am still inclined to obey."

"Please don't think of it like that," said Emilia, "You're my friend, just like Ram and Rem are my friends. I'm not trying to force you to tolerate them, I just want you to understand them and see them for who they are. I'd like it if you at least gave it some thought."

"I'll, I will do what I can," said Ulric with a bow before he turned and headed off for the center of the village. When he arrived, he turned around and practically collapsed against the town well as the exhaustion of his flight from the mabeasts and his mounting frustration finally got to him. 'Give it some thought she says,' mused Ulric as he crossed his arms in frustration, 'I've already accepted a number of strange occurrences in this land and now I find that even demons walk amongst the people. I can't deny that without Rem's help I possibly could've been overtaken by mabeasts, something I still find strange given that demons and witches are supposed to be allies. Yet Rem clearly hated the witch with every fiber of her being because of what was taken from her and her sister.'

The knight groaned in frustration as he continued to turn the events of the day over in his mind, as well as Emilia's words. 'She vouches for the both of them, and so far she hasn't lied to me yet. In fact, it's her and Puck's magic training that's allowed me to survive some of this insanity that's been plaguing this mansion ever since I arrived. Should I just go and ask the maids how they wound up here in the first place? God tell me, what should I do at a time like this?'

The whole issue weighed heavy on his mind, and before the knight knew it, he'd nodded off for a while, still wondering what to do. It was some time later when he was awoken by a familiar voice. "Don't you think it's a little embarrassing to be lying down on the job, sir knight," said Ram. Ulric's eyes shot open as he quickly got to his feet with his hand on the sword he'd been given. "There's no need for that, the current threat has been taken care of."

"How long was I asleep for?" Questioned Ulric, still not taking his hand off of the sword while noticing that Ram had a large basket of some kind of potatoes in her arms.

"Only a couple of hours," said Ram, "It's somewhat understandable I suppose. According to Rem, you used a few spells in order to escape the mabeasts while carrying that girl under one arm. Mana use like that for a novice would exhaust someone quickly, so here." Ram quickly shoved one of the potatoes into Ulric's mouth, causing the knight to gag as he stumbled backward with his mouth burning. The knight had to take his hands off his sword to yank the hot vegetable out of his mouth.

"AAAAAGH, God have mercy are you trying to kill me!" Exclaimed Ulric as he took in a few panting breaths.

"I've been told they're quite delicious," replied Ram, "And they're freshly steamed." Ulric could do little more than sigh.

"Try not to look too proud of yourself," Said Ulric as he began eating the potato properly, "But then again I imagine you enjoy this sort of thing. It's a wonder it took me this long to find out that the two of you are demons."

"I wish Rem hadn't revealed her horn to you," said Ram, "But the situation deteriorated too quickly for her to do much of anything else. Which reminds me, I wish to extend my gratitude for a job well done, and for protecting my sister with one of your spells."

"That is something I may live to regret," said Ulric, "Though I find it interesting that you'd extend gratitude to me, given that I snuck out of the mansion to investigate this situation."

"I'm not sure how the lords of your land work," said Ram, "But here a lord of a domain is held liable when their people suffer loss. While I too wish you had come to us with your suspicions first, in the end you acted correctly and protected the people of this domain. I'd rather not think about what could've happened if the wolgarm had been allowed to kill those children."

"That reminds me," said Ulric, wondering if her supposed worry of the situation was genuine "Has the barrier been restored to a state where the mabeasts can no longer enter?"

"Yes," replied Ram, "Emilia used up much of her mana to close the breach and strengthen the barrier. She also took over for Rem to help keep the children alive until the curses on them were deactivated, though the effort has left her exhausted and she is currently sleeping in one of the cottages."

"I see," Said Ulric as he put his hand to his chin in thought, "Do you know where your sister is now?"

"It was my understanding that she swapped out with Emilia in healing the children once her mana recovered," said Ram, "though I've heard the mabeasts have ended their curse for the time being, so she may be resting as well."

"It's as good a start as any," said Ulric as he proceeded to the location where they were keeping the children. When he entered the cottage, he was surprised to find that while Beatrice was there, Rem was nowhere in sight.

"Ah, so the sleeping knight has finally decided to grace us with his presence I suppose," said Beatrice in her usual condescending tone.

"As you know I haven't been studying healing magic," replied Ulric, "So there was little I could do to help besides simply staying out of the way. I also had a few revelations I needed to ponder."

"I hope you haven't come here to tell me those revelations," said Beatrice, "But since you're here, I may as well tell you of a small situation we have I suppose."

"Situation?" Questioned Ulric with a raised eyebrow, "We got the children away from the mabeasts. What other situation do we need to worry about at this point?" Beatrice signaled for Ulric to follow her without answering his question. This annoyed the knight a bit but he followed after the blond spell caster until they reached a small bridge that went over a creek which ran through the village.

"As you hopefully know by now," said Beatrice, "mabeasts, specifically wolgarm in this case, are capable of transferring curses with their bites. You are also aware that once activated, curses can't be removed."

"Yes that's what you told me," replied Ulric, "But now that they're deactivated, why can't they be removed?"

"The mana we used to keep the children alive," replied Beatrice, "The leader of the pack used that mana to strengthen the curse's hold over them, making them just the slightest bit too strong for me at this time I suppose. Not to mention, little Bubby has had to return to his jewel thanks to the irregular hours that he had to be out. Now obviously one such as I would be more than capable of removing the curses as soon as my mana recharged, but that will take me a few hours and by then the wolgarm may activate their curses again."

"Are you saying the children will be in a state where they'll need large amounts of mana daily?" Questioned Ulric, fearing the answer.

"There is one way to stop the curses I suppose," Said Beatrice, "One that Beatrice has already informed the blue-haired maid about."

"You already told Rem?" Said the knight with a good bit of confusion. Confusion which quickly cleared up as he asked a question to which he already knew the answer to. "Tell me, has Rem left the village?"

"She has," replied Beatrice in a serious tone, "And I imagine you've already figured out where she's going and why." Needless to say Ulric was surprised by this turn of events, and even more surprised by what happened next.

"So my sister has gone off alone to kill the mabeasts?!" Said a familiar voice as Ulric and Beatrice looked up to see Ram standing on the bridge above them. "I simply can't ignore that." The pink-haired maid leapt down off the bridge onto the path below and began running for the forest.

"Hey wait up!" Exclaimed Ulric as he ran off after the maid, just managing to keep pace with her. "Those wolgram could be anywhere in the forest by now unless you can track like your sister!"

"My clairvoyance should work just as well," replied Ram as she stopped for a moment, "A better question is why are you following me?"

"Because my work isn't done yet," replied Ulric, "Those children are still in danger and that means it's supposed to be my job to save them, just like it's your job to look after your younger sister. So let's start with you explaining how this clairvoyance of yours works." Ram sighed as she began her explanation.

"I'm able to see through the eyes of any animals or insects on my wavelength," explained Ram, "In a forest like this, it shouldn't take me long to locate Rem."

"Is your fighting prowess also comparable to your sister's?" Questioned Ulric, figuring it best to find this all out now.

"I'm afraid not," replied Ram, "Though I can attack and defend with wind magic, I'm hornless." Ram demonstrated by generating a large blast of wind which went out in all directions.

"I see," said Ulric as he unsheathed his sword and kneeled with the sword point resting on the ground, "Then it's a good thing I'm coming along. You'll need all the help you can get." The knight then proceeded to bow his head for several moments.

"What are you doing?" Questioned Ram, "Time is short and there's no telling the state that my sister is in right now."

"Amen," Ulric whispered as he stood up, "My apologies, but prayers before a battle should not be forsaken. A practice I'm ashamed to say I've let fall by the wayside in the past several days. Now, let us be off." Ram nodded as they both rushed into the forest, hoping they weren't too late.

 **It seems no situation is simple when it comes to the ever changing circumstances of our knight. Now he must decide whether or not he truly wishes to save a couple of demons alongside the rest of the village children. But that's a question for the next chapter, in the mean time, I hope you all enjoyed this latest entry in the story and as always feel free to leave a comment or review about what you liked/disliked or any clever little ideas you might have to help the story get even better. Be sure to stop by next time as Ulric fights to keep himself from becoming wolgarm food while wrestling with his own beliefs about defending demons. 'Til next time.**


	14. Facing The Beasts

**Facing The Beasts**

Mabeast Forest: Mid-morning

Moving through the forest was far easier during the daytime, Ulric noted. Then again, the many battles he'd been a part of in the crusades had shown him that both the day and the night had their desirable and less desirable aspects. Just ahead of him, Ram moved with a similar grace to how her sister moved with her eyes peering all throughout the area. Unlike Rem, though, Ram did not have as keen a sense of smell, but she easily made up for that with her ability known as clairvoyance.

"This should be a good spot," said Ram as she stopped with Ulric right behind her, "I'll be using my clairvoyance now. I'll have to close my eyes so try to be a good guard. After all, it would mar your record to let a maiden such as myself be devoured."

"I think it's been well established that you and your sister are no ordinary maidens," replied Ulric as he drew his sword and began scanning the area, "Fortunately for you I do still require your services for the time being, loathe as I am to admit it."

"You'll find I feel the same," replied Ram, "But such are our circumstances. Now, let us begin." The pink-haired maid closed her eyes as her brow furrowed in concentration. Ulric didn't really understand how she was doing it, but apparently she could see what a number of insects and animals were seeing at that very moment. It was a strange concept for the knight to wrap his head around, being able to see through eyes of an animal. "Sir Knight, we are being watched by something up on our right."

The maid indicated the location by pointing at a thicket, though her eyes were still closed. The knight readied himself just in time as a wolgarm leapt out of the bush with its fangs bared, only to be quickly slashed in the throat by Ulric. Another few raced forward, attempting to take advantage of their blind spots. But the result was the same for them as Ram quickly used her wind magic to slice the three that were headed at her in half while Ulric ducked around and slashed another two in the head and stomach. "Well we found a few," said Ulric, "But this is definitely not the main pack."

Ram must've been thinking along similar lines as she began walking again. After another minute or so, the maid spoke up. "Emilia spoke to me while you were sleeping," said Ram, "She told me about your reaction upon learning that my sister and I are demons. While your reaction to us is somewhat expected, what is most surprising is that you are unfamiliar with what an oni is to begin with."

"Demons can take many forms," replied Ulric, "that is what I was taught by my parents and by the church. But most often, in the stories of the old and New Testament, demons would make a person suffer by possessing their body. The effects of such possessions would vary from one to another, including throwing victims into convulsions, causing agonizing pain, forcing them speak the words that the demon wanted them to speak and sometimes granting the possessed incredible strength to hurt others. So tell me, what kind of demon is an oni?"

"We're nothing like anything you just described," explained Ram, "We cannot possess people or throw them into convulsions, not unless we learn how to wield our magic in such a way to do so. Like ordinary people, we live in this world, have villages of our own, customs of our own and even families of our own. As you heard from Emilia, what sets us apart is our horns."

"Yes, she did explain that," Said Ulric, "But that makes you another case then. Tell me, what does it mean to be hornless in a society of horned beings?" Ram didn't answer immediately, but when she did her voice sounded distant.

"It simply means that I'm a foolish demon with no horn," said Ram, "I got into a scuffle a long time ago and lost it. Because of that loss, I've been forced to rely on Rem for the more demanding tasks which used to be simple for me."

"I see," said Ulric, "given the way I saw Rem's horn sprout from her head, I didn't think it could be physically removed. Losing something like that must've been tantamount to losing a limb for you."

"It was a problem at the time," said Ram, "But in losing my horn, I gained a few things and even saved lives because I had to rely on something besides it. Though I doubt Rem feels the same way about it." Ulric took some time to process what he'd been told while Ram continued to explain. "Now oni originally had two horns, but twins such as Rem and I, each had only one. Customarily, we would've been disposed of because single-horned oni are detested."

"A death sentence on the day of birth," said Ulric, "Not really what I'd call a civil practice. But that does beg the question, why were you two allowed to live then?"

"My horn and my abilities were discovered to be extremely powerful," replied Ram, "It is as simple as that. You see, a demon's horn awakens one's demonic instincts by hungrily devouring mana to add to one's strength, but there is a drawback. If it's used recklessly, there will be a recoil that will batter the user, and I'd rather not see my sister like that."

"Understandable," said Ulric as they crossed a rocky path over a stream, "siblings should take care of each other, and I guess that applies even to the demon race of this land."

"You may hold us in a negative light," said Ram, "And I cannot speak for everyone in the demon race. But my sister and I merely wish to keep living the peaceful life that we've been given."

"And on some level, I would like to believe that," replied Ulric, "but I've seen many strange things since arriving in this land, and it's made it difficult for me to fully believe much of anything. Yes, in this life and at this time we're helping each other, but either one of you could just as easily turn around and kill me for any number of ridiculous reasons. I was even nearly killed because of how I sme-." It was then that a thought struck Ulric. "Tell me, these mabeasts are creatures of the witch, does that also mean they are attracted to the witch's foul scent."

"Yes they are," said Ram, "though I fail to see what relevance that has to do with our present-LOOK OUT!" Ram held her hand up and shot out a blast of wind, slicing up a mabeast that had leapt at Ulric's back. The knight drew his sword and slashed another one that had gone for Ram's blindside. More and more came rushing out of the woods as maid and knight rushed to the other side of the stream before standing back to back. 'This is a bit less daunting when I can see them clearly,' thought Ulric as he slashed the stomach of a wolgram before kicking away another.

Ram was doing fairly well on her end as well as each time she raised her hand, another wolgram was sliced up. Together, the two of them created a zone of blood and blade which carved up any mabeast foolish enough to get too close. At least, that's how it was for a few brief minutes. Despite their ferocity, the wolgarm's numbers simply didn't seem to be decreasing fast enough, and with each spell Ram cast, the weaker she got.

Not to mention, Ulric was used to prolonged battle, but that didn't mean he wasn't getting tired himself. This became most evident when Ram suddenly collapsed to her knees after slicing up three more wolgarm. "Ram, what's wrong?" Questioned Ulric as he slashed through another wolgarm before backing up to stand protectively over the maid.

"My mana is running out," she replied as she tried to stand, "I'm afraid I'm much more limited in comparison to my sister."

"Glad you can sound so calm about it," said Ulric as he turned and beheaded a wolgarm that had been heading for Ram. This unfortunately left an opening for another wolgarm to charge in and sink its teeth into Ulric's left gauntlet. The knight tried to shake the mabeast loose while fending off others who were trying to take advantage of the situation, with a few managing to get a couple slashes against his chain mailed body. 'I can't take them all on and protect Ram at the same time,' he realized as several of them raced in from all directions, 'Once again, I have but one option.' "Jiwald," Ulric said as the familiar blue light covered his body.

The knight yanked the wolgarm on his arm off of its feet and spun around at high speed, knocking all of the other wolgarm away from them before slamming the one on his arm down on the ground. The sound of snapping bone told Ulric that he'd broken the beast's neck as he shook it off of his now dented gauntlet. But he had little time to examine it as he picked the maid up under his arm and rushed into the forest, more concerned with getting away from the pack than where he was going. Which is how he managed to wind up at the edge of a ravine leading down into a rocky area. 'I haven't hesitated much in what I've needed to do so far,' he thought as he glanced back at the quickly approaching pack, 'And I can't stop now, so here goes!'

"Jiwald," he said as he sheathed his sword and leapt over the edge to the rocks below. Air whipped by his face as he plummeted with Ram still under left arm. Reacting quickly, Ulric kicked his foot against a rocky outcropping, causing him to flip through the air as he kicked another and then another after that before reaching his hand out to grasp a large vine along the cliff face. "Lucky thing this was here, I'm not sure how hard our landing would've been if-SNAP!" The knight was silenced by the sound of the vine tearing as they both fell even further down.

'I deactivated my spell when I grabbed the vine,' Ulric thought, 'I don't have time focus my mana again before we hit the ground!' It was a moment which seemed to last for some time as he watched the ground rising up to meet them. "El Fula," said Ram, conjuring the last of her wind magic to create a cushion of air which stopped their fall suddenly, but surprisingly lightly as the knight landed squarely on his feet, albeit with a bit of pain to his knees.

"That's a pretty useful trick," said Ulric as he switched to carrying Ram bridal style, "Any chance I could learn to do that with light magi-oh outstanding." The pink-haired maid hadn't heard a word because she was now unconscious in his arms, having used up most of her remaining strength with that spell. 'Well no time to wake her up, we'll need to get somewhere safe first.' The knight started marching out of the area, but was quickly halted by the sound of several more wolgarm growling. 'They found us down here already,' he thought in frustration as even more wolgarm emerged from behind the numerous rocks scattered around the area, quickly surrounding their prey as they did so.

Ulric shifted Ram onto his left shoulder as he drew his sword, his eyes darting about as he took note of any possible means of escape. 'I've yet to die by being mauled,' thought the knight, 'And I most certainly don't wish to find out what it feels like. So there has to be a way out of here.' As he readied himself, a few rocks fell from above, causing him to glance up quickly. What he saw was a surprising feeling of relief as Rem, with her horn still out and her face and clothes stained with blood, leaping down from above with her flail causing a cloud of dust from the impact.

"And to think," Said Ulric, trying not to smirk a little, "We've been trying to find you this whole time. Instead, you found us." Rem didn't answer at first as she turned her gaze on the two of them, but it was different than before. The look in her eyes was almost vacant, as if she was lost in another world. "Rem it's us, Ulric and Ram, at least say something." The girl only smiled a bit before swinging her flail at the two of them.

Ulric moved out of the way just in time as the flail slammed into the ground where he and Ram had just been. "Oh God help us," said the knight. 'She attacked not only me but her sister, meaning she's no longer fully in control of her own actions anymore. It must be that demonic horn.' "You are doing a terrible job of convincing me that demons are anything close to good."

The knight's comment was met with another flail attack, forcing him to move in the other direction to avoid getting smashed. The blue-haired oni then turned and swung at the wolgarm that attempted to take advantage of the distraction, easily smashing them to bits with her flail. All Ulric could do at that moment was watch as the bloody spectacle unfolded in front of him with Rem swinging her flail around her body, lashing out every so often with a kick or a punch, creating an almost literal dance of death as body after bloody body flew through the air. He'd always heard that beauty could bloom, even on a battlefield, but never had he actually believed it until right at this moment.

But he also noticed something else sitting on one of the upraised stones. 'That's the small dog that caused all of this in the first place,' he thought, 'and it appears to be leading these beasts.' And providing support, because the dog glowed with a yellow light before barking and causing part of the ground near Rem to explode. It was enough to distract her and allow a mabeast to bite her arm and drop her weapon. Rem recovered quickly enough by bashing the wolgarm's head in with her bare fist before snapping the neck of another one.

'She's strong yes,' Ulric thought, 'but with that lead wolgarm here leading the rest of the pack, she won't be able to survive forever.' "It's her horn," said Ram suddenly, surprising the knight a little that she'd woken up.

"Ram, when did you wake up?" Questioned Ulric as he began circling around the field of slaughter.

"Only a few moments ago, but that's not important," replied Ram, "Right now you need to focus on hitting her horn to make it retract."

"You mean if her horn retracts, she'll be back to normal without all the demon traits," surmised Ulric.

"With one good solid hit, yes," said Ram, "that should be enough I think, I believe, I hope."

"If you weren't a demon that might turn to ash from it I'd tell you to pray," Commented Ulric as he changed direction, "But as things stand, my prayers will have to be enough for the both of us." The knight turned then and ran straight for Rem. 'Lord, let my feet be swift and my aim be true,' he prayed as he called upon the power of Jiwald once again, allowing him to leap high into the air. "My apologies in advance," he said as he lifted the maid off of his shoulder and spun in midair, "DEUS VULT!"

Ram's disapproving voice could be heard as Ulric flung her directly at Rem. The blue-haired demon stopped then, staring in apparent disbelief as her sister flew towards her. Her hesitation kept her from dodging as Ram's head slammed into hers, knocking them both to the ground as Ulric landed right next to them, ending Jiwald as he stood guard over their prone forms. 'Did it work?' he thought as he risked a glance back.

"You're quite lucky that her horn isn't particularly sharp," said Ram as she got up to her knees while rubbing the sore spot on her head, "Also, there were at least a dozen other approaches you could've used that didn't involve tossing me at her."

"Consider us even for you attempting to kill me with a potato," quipped Ulric, "But on a more serious note, can you stand?"

"My mana has managed to restore itself a bit," said Ram as she popped a couple of bocco fruit into her mouth while also noticing the wolgarm approaching them cautiously. "Though the best I can do right now is run."

"Then I suppose that only leaves us one option," said Ulric as he raised his hand towards the cliff face, "Kito Jiwald!" A blue orb flew from his hand and slammed into the cliff, causing several rocks and large amounts of dust to come raining down and forcing the wolgarm to back away. Not wasting an instant, Ulric grabbed a hold of the two maids and used Jiwald to leap outwards, away from the area. With a few more good leaps, he was out of sight of the wolgarm, rushing through a stream to insure his scent was lost before hiding in a large clump of bushes.

"Not a bad move," said Ram, "Though I am starting to question how good of a knight you are, given that you've been retreating so much lately."

"No need to remind me," said Ulric as he sat down, breathing somewhat heavily, "it's grating at my pride enough already to have retreated so much in only a few days. But I didn't make it through three years of the Crusades by acting rashly in a bad situation."

"Then that means your teacher was at least somewhat competent," said Ram, "And my potatoes are delicious. You should feel honored that you were the first to get one." Ulric gave a quick laugh at that as he looked out from the bushes for a second.

"We can't stay here for long," Ulric said, "Those mabeasts will be on us before long, so we'll need to move soon." Ram nodded her head as she handed Ulric a few bocco fruit from her pockets. It was then that Rem finally began stirring before opening her eyes.

"What, where am I?" Questioned Rem as she sat up, clearly surprised that Ulric and Ram were there.

"Ah good," said Ulric, "Now that you're awake I won't have to carry you or your sister. Don't get me wrong, you're surprisingly light given your strength, but I can lug a person around only so long under conditions like these?"

"Why are you both here?" Questioned Rem as she sat up, "I was specifically trying to avoid this kind of situation. No one else had to get hurt if it was just me doing this."

"Rem," said Ram, "I'm here because I'm your older sister, so you'd best believe that I don't want you to get hurt either."

"And if I recall," said Ulric, "This is my task as well. Even if saving you wasn't part of my objective, those children are still in danger which means my work isn't over yet."

"But this is my fault," said Rem, "If I'd taken the lead wolgarm out back then, none of those children would be suffering right now. But instead I was focused on you and your reaction to me, all because you have the witch's scent on you. If I'd shown you more trust at the start, perhaps none of this would've happened. If I can't do this on my own-?"

"This is not something you or any of us can do on our own," said Ulric as he crossed his arms. "Now even I have to admit that you're strength is impressive and your skill is nothing to make light of. However, there are simply too many of them for us to take on without some tactical planning. Their numbers will wear us down before we can kill them all. Your willingness to sacrifice yourself is admirable, but my father always taught me that if you must sacrifice yourself then make it worthwhile and accomplish something in the process."

"And how exactly is me giving my life for those children not something worthwhile?" Questioned Rem, "I'd atone for so much just by doing this."

"Because you were going to lose your life without accomplishing your goal," replied Ulric, "The lead wolgarm is too strong with too many protectors for you to take on your own, meaning if we hadn't shown up, the only thing you would've accomplished is making your sister and everyone else at the mansion grieve. Trust me when I say it would not have been a pretty sight." Rem seemed to ponder his words for a bit.

"Then what should we do now?" Questioned Rem, "The children are still in danger and the lead wolgarm is still alive."

"I'm afraid we'll have to approach that problem a little later," said Ulric, "If all three of us had come here at once earlier, we likely could've brought it down. As it is now, both of you are hardly in any shape to keep fighting and I can't take them alone, so for now, we'll need to escape."

"That won't be very easy," Ram pointed out, "The wolgarm are getting closer by the second and it's very possible they'll run us down before we can get to the barrier."

"Not if I act as the bait," said Ulric, "I've got an idea I've been wanting to try for a bit. If it works, all of the wolgarm will head towards me and only me. If it doesn't, well then the alternative likely has us dying anyway."

"But you can't do that!" Exclaimed Rem, "You'll almost certainly be killed if you go out there on your own! Just think about it more for a bit, there has to be a better way!"

"I appreciate the concern," said Ulric as he stood up a little, "but there's no need to worry about me. I've been able to escape using Jiwald up 'til this point, so I'll just use that and escape again. The important thing right now is to get back to the other side of that barrier." Rem still didn't look convinced, so Ulric did the only reassuring gesture he could think of and patted her head. This surprised the maid a good bit but it got the desired result. "Just focus on getting out of here with your sister, I'll go first and then you two leave shortly after."

"Just tell me one more thing, Ulric," Rem said, "your objective was to save the children, but you're going out of the way to help two demons. I just want to know, if you really do hate us, then why?"

"Don't misunderstand," replied Ulric, "I still have no definitive reason to like demon kind. Lady Emilia simply requested that I try to understand the two of you. That task would be impossible if you both died here." Not wanting to argue any further, the knight took that moment to rush out of the bushes and run further into the surrounding forest.

As expected, the wolgarm noticed him almost immediately and gave chase. Ulric ran for all of his worth, risking a glance back only once to see Ram running in the other direction with her sister on her back. 'Alright,' thought Ulric, 'let's see if I can get this black magic to work for me.' "Whenever I die, everything is res-!" He felt it then, the familiar sensation of a ghostly hand grasping his heart as time seemed to stop for an instant.

The result was also noticeable, as every wolgarm within range of his yelling voice turned their heads before rushing after him. 'So, this stench of mine increases whenever I try to mention this curse of mine. Still not happy about it, but at least it might actually prove useful.' Of course, he had to get out of this alive first.

Turning a little to head deeper into the forest, Ulric was about to activate Jiwald again until he noticed a group of wolgarm in front of him, along with the pup. "So you finally come out to face us," said Ulric as he stopped and readied his sword, "Then reveal your true form beast!" The pup seemed to understand as its body suddenly began to morph and enlarge, growing until it was well above Ulric's head. Soon enough, the lead wolgarm's true form was revealed and it looked much like the others but it was easily five times the size with extra spikes jutting out of it.

'If I had seen something like this in Jerusalem, who knows what I would've done,' thought Ulric as he cast Jiwald around himself while doing his best to conceal the fact that he was shaking a bit. 'But after seeing so much in only a few days, something like this, is nowhere near enough to scare me away!' Ulric leapt upwards as the large wolgarm swatted at him with its clawed front leg, slashing the side of its neck as he passed by it. The beast howled in anger as it swatted upward with its tail, managing to catch the knight in the leg while he was still in midair and send him tumbling to the ground.

Ulric wasn't down for long though as he rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the wolgarm's jaws as he managed to slash it in the eye. The wolgarm writhed in pain as it lashed out with its front leg, knocking Ulric in the chest and sending him sliding along the ground. The knight couldn't breathe for a few seconds as his concentrations slipped, causing Jiwald to end. This also gave the wolgarm enough time to charge at Ulric again with its jaws outstretched.

The knight kicked upwards reflexively, only to get his leg caught in the beast's maw as it crunched down. "AAAAAARGH!" Ulric winced in pain as he felt the armor around his leg start to warp and tear. As the wolgarm started to drag him along the ground, Ulric raised his sword and jammed it between the monster's eyes, causing it to recoil in agony. 'Only one real trick left now,' thought Ulric as he held his hand up.

The enraged lead wolgarm made one last attempt to tear his head off with its jaws as Ulric gathered his mana. "KITO JIWALD!" yelled the knight as the spell shot out the largest orb he'd managed to conjure yet. Thanks to the closeness of his foe, it guaranteed his aim as the blast slammed into the wolgarm's face, tearing it apart as bits of its brain and skull went flying everywhere. The remainder of the lead wolgarm's body collapsed onto the ground in an ever growing puddle of its own blood as Ulric inched away from it.

The knight was elated at what he'd managed to accomplish, knowing that the children would now be safe with the beast gone. A feeling which was quickly replaced with dread when he realized that the remaining mabeasts, who'd been watching the melee, were now closing in on him. 'I may have killed it,' thought Ulric, 'but if I die here, then everything we just went through will have been for nothing because it'll all reset.' Ulric tried to stand, but found he was unable to because of his injured leg. 'Holy Lord, if there is a way out of this, then let your will be done.'

"ULGOA!" Yelled a voice from above as fire rained from the sky. Blast after blast impacted around the knight, incinerating the remaining wolgarm.

"Hahahahaha," Ulric couldn't help but laugh after getting over his initial shock, "Fire falling from the heavens! It seems even in this forest, you couldn't hide from God's wrath! Haha, DEUS VULT!"

"Weeeeell that is certainly some high praise," said Roswaal as he came floating down to the ground, "But a siiiiiiiiimple thank you will suffice. After aaaaaaaaall, you took care of the big one."

"Lord Roswaal," said a surprised Ulric as he repositioned himself into a more comfortable position while remaining on the ground, "you returned just in time. Though I do question how you were able to find us so quickly."

"Dear Emiiiiiiiilia made it quite clear to me at the village," explained Roswaal as he imitated her voice, rather poorly, for a moment. "Please find them because I know that they're trying to save the children and have wandered recklessly into the forest." Ulric quirked an eyebrow a bit at the lord's high pitched imitation.

"Lord Roswaal," called the voice of Ram as she wandered over, supporting Rem on her shoulder, "please forgive me for causing so much trouble." The two of them bowed the best they could, given their current circumstances.

"Noooooonsense," said Roswaal with his typical smile, "You both did fiiiiiiiine work while I was away. I'll see to it that aaaaaaall your efforts are rewarded. You have my woooord on that."

"At the moment," said Ulric, "The best reward I can think of right now is getting these injuries looked at. With your permission of course."

"Uh, may I reward you?" Questioned Rem suddenly. Ulric didn't get a chance to answer as the maid put her arms around him. "It was because of me that you and sister got hurt, so I'm glad that you're alright. Also, I'd like you to know that Rem isn't always like what you've seen today, so please, give us another chance."

Ulric let out a sigh before responding. "I know I still have much to learn and I'm still not sure about the demon race." The knight then placed his hand on Rem's head as he stroked her hair a bit. "But for the moment, it'd be impossible for me to hate the two of you."

"Thank you," said Rem with tears of joy in her eyes as she hugged the knight even harder, "Thank you so much!"

"Uh, Rem," said Ulric with a bit of a groan, "I took a bit of a blow to my chest. There's probably a bit of bruising, ow, maybe don't squeeze so tightly." The maid didn't seem to hear him as she continued to happily embrace him.

Roswaal Manor: The Next Day

The healing of his wounds hadn't taken all that long once they'd gotten back to the village. But what was better, the slaying of the head wolgarm meant that the curses had been lifted from all of the children, and the rest of the villagers had been beyond thankful to them for it. The kids had also shown their thanks to the knight, the maids, and the others with various hugs and small gifts. Though Ulric hadn't been all that crazy about having a large larvae shoved into his pocket by one of them.

Though there was some disappointment. Thanks to Ulric's repeated use of his spells, his mana was drained, which left him fairly exhausted. Even Rem and Ram had suffered a few injuries too many for their demon blood to heal them completely without rest. So as soon as they were done getting thanked by the villagers, they all headed back to Roswaal's mansion.

And it was here that Ulric once again opened his eyes, actually feeling happy to see the ceiling for once on a day that wasn't repeating itself. But another difference about this morning was the fact that he had a visitor. "Ah, you've woken up," said Rem with a soft smile on her face, "how are you feeling."

"Only some slight soreness now," replied Ulric as he sat up in his bed, "I doubt it'll stop me from training, especially now that I have a proper sword again. But back to the matter at hand, what brings you here to my room at this hour of the morning. Not planning some kind of mischief are we?"

"Actually, I came to apologize," said Rem as she bowed her head a bit.

"I'm not sure what you'd have to apologize for," said Ulric, "The day has hardly begun."

"For being an incompetent dropout of the demon clan," explained Rem, "You see I am nothing compared to my sister, and she likely would've solved this issue. She was a prodigy with her magical power, but because she was protecting a good for nothing like me, she lost her horn. It should have been me, no, sister should have been born with two horns. If only I hadn't been her twin, if only." Rem took a breath as she raised her head back up. "I am sorry, all of this must sound strange to you."

"Not as strange as you might think," said Ulric as he crossed his arms, "I have said very similar things about myself every now and then."

"You've doubted the need for your existence before?" Questioned Rem.

"In a manner, you see I've doubted my place before," replied Ulric, "I watched comrade after comrade fall to the sword, and the spear, and the bow. Sometimes they were hardly five feet from me when they were struck down. I would often blame what I believed to be my lack of ability as the reason they died, and would even say that it should've been me and not them because some of them were certainly more skilled than me. But Rodrick and my other remaining friends would remind me that we have a higher purpose for fighting and that there was a reason we'd been spared up to that point."

"A reason you'd been spared," Rem repeated with a questioning look on her face.

"Yes," said Ulric, "You and everyone else here has been teaching me about the beliefs and practices of your land. Now let me tell you about some of mine. You see in our land, we believe in one God and one God only who shaped the world and rules over it on his throne in Heaven. From this, we derive that all people have a purpose in this world, hence no one is born by accident because that would mean God is not in ultimate control."

"So you believe everyone has a reason for being here," Rem surmised, "Even someone like me?"

"As I said," replied Ulric, "No one is here on accident. We are brought into this world with what we need or the ability to acquire it so that we may each walk our paths. Now what those paths may be, only God himself knows for sure, but I can say this about you Rem. You are more skilled in every task that Roswaal has given the two of you since I arrived, and you're also a much better fighter."

"It would not be so if sister still had her horn," said Rem, "If you knew my true sister, you'd see the obvious difference between us."

"But she doesn't," said Ulric, "from what little I understand, she lost it a long time ago. So the Ram I know now is the hornless one and the Rem I know now is the one who surpasses her in a number of ways. Listen to me when I say, it's easy to hang on to the mistakes of the past and blame yourself for something that may or may not have been your fault. But it is a sad state of mind and it keeps one from moving forward. Maybe you could've kept your sister from losing her horn or maybe there was no preventing it, but either way your sister has learned to live life without her horn and you should learn to live your life as well."

"But I am merely my sister's replacement," said Rem, "I'm rather weak and had to lean on you and sister."

"You're no one's replacement," said Ulric, "You can replace many things, weapons, armor, tools but not people. I cringed at the thought of working with someone new every time a position in our ranks had to be filled, but I often came to know them and call them comrade just the same, not because they were replacements but because I got along with who they were. You are you Rem, so don't fear being yourself, and as for your weakness, look at me. I was raised to hate demons, yet I had to rely on two of them to make it out of that forest alive. Just like a war effort can't be won by a single person it's okay to rely on others when you need help with something, though that does remind me."

Ulric undid a small chain around his neck and pulled it out of his shirt, revealing an ornate cross hanging at the end of it. "Does this symbol or the name Jesus Christ mean anything to you?" Rem merely tilted her head in confusion as she touched the cross to better examine it.

"I'm afraid like many of your ways and customs," said Rem, "I haven't the slightest inkling of what you're talking about." Ulric couldn't help but laugh at that as he returned the cross to his neck.

"Even the demons believe and tremble," Ulric quoted, "You are not like the demons I've heard of. If you were you would've recoiled at the very sight of the cross and the mention of the name Jesus Christ. Since you know neither, I can only assume you are not a demon of Hell."

"Rem is simply an oni," replied the blue-haired maid, "An oni and a maid."

"And your own person," said Ulric as he patted her head, "One that I'm glad I was able to meet." Rem nodded her head as tears of joy started flowing through her eyes.

"I'm glad, I was able to meet a person like you as well," she said with a genuine smile on her face.

Garden of the Roswaal Mansion: That Night

"I'm starting to wonder about you sir Knight," said Emilia, "Hardly five days at this mansion and you're getting yourself injured yet again. Come to think of it, the whole reason I had you brought here in the first place was because of an injury you sustained."

"A knight's work is by no means a safe occupation," replied Ulric as he leaned against the column of the pagoda, "But I will admit much of this situation was my own fault, meaning my injuries were partially my own doing as well."

"Well either way, I feel I should still thank you," said Emilia, "I know you don't quite understand this being that you're from a different land, but had those children died from those curses, I likely would've been blamed."

"For your resemblance to that frightening legend," Said Ulric, "Yes, that would've been quite unfortunate to say the least."

"Still," said Emilia, "It would've been far more unfortunate if those children had died, so that's what I wanted to thank you for."

"You've done more than enough for me by just allowing me to stay here and teaching me magic," said Ulric.

"That was to thank you for saving my life and recovering my insignia," said Emilia, "given that this was a different matter, it's my belief that you deserve something." Ulric put a hand to his chin in thought for a bit.

"Well since you seem to insist on it," said Ulric, "Between the bowel hunter and the wolgarm, my armor is pretty torn up, so I may need a new set. Also, will you be returning to the capital any time soon?"

"I'm not sure," said Emilia, "with the royal selection going on I could be called up there on a moment's notice. Why do you ask?"

"There's a man I need to speak to about a new sword, among other things," said Ulric, "If I recall, he still owes me after breaking my last one." Emilia smiled in understanding, knowing exactly who he meant.

 **At last the lead beast is slain and the seeming curse of the fifth day is over. It seems our knight has also made peace with our favorite demon maids, or a least a step in the right direction. In the meantime, I hope you all enjoyed this latest chapter and a little bit of news for those of you who've been following my other stories. RWBY Volume 6 is finally here and with it, The Adventures of Team WA Vol. 2 can at last continue. Now it's gonna be on a more erratic schedule in comparison to my other two stories given that I got them and I'll need to watch the episode first before writing, and Masked Spider here does not have a prime membership. But it shall be written, have no doubt about that. So as always, feel free to leave a comment or a review about what you liked/disliked or if you got a great idea you want to share to make the story better. Drop by next time as Emilia is summoned to the capital, and brings our knight along with her. 'Til then.**


	15. A Summons to the Capital

**A Summons to the Capital**

Roswaal Mansion: Midday

Ulric leapt behind a pillar of ice as the ground where he was just at took a hit from a blunt object. The knight maneuvered around a few more pillars which were currently scattered about the grounds of the mansion as he neared his target. But his pursuer was persistent and smashed one of the pillars he was about to run by, forcing him to retreat further in and divert his original course. 'She's not making this easy on me,' the knight mused as he stopped and peeked out from behind another pillar, 'but then again, this wasn't supposed to be easy in the first place.'

It was then that he heard a small thud on the pillar above him as he looked up to see that his pursuer had already discovered his hiding spot. 'Not good,' thought Ulric as he jumped and rolled to avoid his pursuer's rope-drawn weapon from hitting him. Ulric picked up the pace again as he began zigzagging between the columns in an attempt to make himself harder to hit. 'I know those ice pillars aren't all that sturdy, but if that's what happens when they get hit, I don't desire to know what that weapon can do to me.'

Behind him, one pillar after another was smashed to bits until Ulric finally made it out of the field and closer to his target. But there was another problem now. He was in an open area with no cover and his pursuer took full advantage of that as she leapt off the final row of ice pillars and landed in front of him. The knight, instead of slowing down, attempted to take his opponent down by surprising her with a quick swing of his sword. His opponent was small and nimble, however, as she dodged and flipped out of the way of his blows before countering with an attack of her own.

Ulric dodged out of the way of the vertical strike before moving in close, only to be repulsed by a kick to his head which he barely blocked with his left forearm. He wasn't fast enough to avoid the second kick as his opponent struck him in the gut and nearly knocked the wind out of him. This created an opening for his female opponent to swing her rope weapon around his body in an effort to immobilize him. "You got close this time," she said as she raised her hand and formed an ice block, "But not close enough."

'Jiwald,' thought Ulric as he strained against the roped weapon with all of his might. Just as his assailant fired her spell, the rope around him snapped into pieces with the activation of his spell, allowing him to block with his sword. While it was successful, the force of the shot still knocked his sword out of his hand. Ordinarily, he would've been concerned with this, but instead he charged forward towards his opponent who was now weaponless as well.

His surprised opponent just barely managed to dodge the punch he'd aimed at her midsection before he swept her feet out from under her with a quick movement of his foot. If she'd been an ordinary opponent, Ulric's tactic would've grounded her, but she was something more as she caught herself with her hand and flipped away. The knight closed the distance, not wanting to give his opponent a chance to recover as he threw another punch. The girl blocked the blow and countered with a punch of her own, which Ulric was only able to dodge thanks to Jiwald being active.

The two of them exchanged a few more punches and kicks, both getting hits in but neither gaining ground. It was then that Ulric decided to try something a bit reckless, he charged forward and used another sweeping kick, which his opponent easily dodged before grabbing hold of him and swinging herself around behind him. She put him in a chokehold that felt like he had bars of iron squeezing his neck, even with Jiwald increasing his strength. But it also gave him the opening he was looking for as he held up his hand. "Kito Jiwald!" Said Ulric, firing a small but well-aimed blast from his palm.

His opponent was surprised enough that she loosened her grip, watching Ulric's spell impact against the erected target. "I think that means I win," said Ulric as he ended his spell and collapsed to his knees.

"I'll admit," said Rem, "putting yourself in a vulnerable position to get a clear shot was not something I expected. How did you know you wouldn't pass out before you could cast your spell?"

"Can I be allowed to breathe first," Questioned the knight as he tapped the maid's arms, which were still around his neck. Rem gasped as she released him, allowing him to collapse the rest of the way to the ground as he took several deep breaths.

"My apologies," said the maid with a slight bow, "I'm not accustomed to training with someone else. Ordinarily when it's necessary for me to put my arms around someone's throat, I don't let go until they're either passed out or dead."

"Yeah, we probably should've mentioned that to Ulric when he suggested this little obstacle course," said Puck, before clapping his paws to make the rest of the ice pillars disappear. "But even despite that, I still think congratulations are in order."

"I just barely managed to win this little exercise," said Ulric as he stood back up and retrieved the wooden training sword he'd been using. Rem had substituted her flail for a sand bag tied to a rope. "If this had been a real battle and Rem had her real weapon, I still likely would've lost."

"I think you're being a little too hard on yourself," said Emilia, "We came up with this course to help you utilize your magic in a battle-like scenario. Even if this is the first time you actually beat the course, you've made some good progress. You're generating Jiwald without even having to say the spell aloud and you maintained it while using another spell. Plus, you're also employing some more creative fighting tactics."

"Rem has also learned a couple new approaches to fighting thanks to training with you," said the maid, "I've tried to convince sister to help out as well, but she insists that there's too much work to be done in the mansion."

"And as I said before, I don't wish to interfere with either of your duties," said Ulric, "Your help with my training has been invaluable, but I'm a mere guest and Roswaal's orders come well before any of my requests."

"It really is no trouble," said Rem with a small smile, "Sister Ram helped you learn reading and writing while Rem was busy assuming the worst about you. The least I can do is assist you with this."

"Well either way," said Emilia, "I think it's time we took a break and let everyone's mana recharge a bit." This decision was met with approval by all as they headed back towards the main entrance to the mansion. But a slight surprise was waiting for them in the form of a dragon-drawn carriage.

"Ah, welcome back," said a tall, old man with silver hair tied in a ponytail and a bit of a goatee. He was wearing a suit of what Ulric had learned was called a butler. The man also had on white gloves which further denoted his status as a type of servant. But one look at the man's worn face and the occasional intensity of its gaze told the knight that he was just a bit more than a mere servant. "My apologies for parking right out front, but I did not know where else I could put the carriage."

Roswaal Mansion: Outside the Dining Hall

"An emissary has arrived with news from the capital," explained Ram as she, Ulric and Emilia stood in the hallway. "It would be best if you attended to them as well Miss Emilia."

"Do you know why an emissary's been sent," questioned Emilia, failing to mask her confusion.

"From what I've been able to gather," replied Ram, "I believe it concerns the royal selection." Emilia was silent for a moment as she processed what she'd just been told.

"Is there any way I'd be able to provide assistance in this matter?" Questioned Ulric, "Politics is, admittedly, not my forte but I'd be willing to give it a try if need be."

"I do appreciate the offer Sir Knight," replied Emilia, "But this is something I'm afraid I must handle on my own. But I will send for you should the need arise."

"As you wish," said Ulric with a slight bow, "I'll be out front then. I actually have some questions for our other guest if that's alright?"

"Just don't be surprised if he can't tell you much of anything," Said Ram, "You're still a pretty suspicious person thanks to your background."

"I'll bear that in mind," replied Ulric as he turned to head back down the hall while Emilia and Ram entered the main dining hall.

The Front of the Roswaal Mansion

The old man was still parked where they'd left him and was currently busying himself by wiping down any spots that he could find on the carriage. "If you wish to come inside," said Ulric as he walked around the carriage, "You need only ask. Lady Emilia is a kind soul and likely wouldn't mind so long as you don't let the maids think you're going to cause trouble."

"I do appreciate the invitation," replied the old man as he ceased his little chore, "But I must insure the carriage is ready to depart immediately upon my charge's return. Besides, the weather is quite lovely today."

"I will agree with you on that," replied Ulric, "and we can talk just as easily out here as in there."

"What exactly do you wish to discuss?" Questioned the old man, "I should inform you now, since I'm unaware of your standing in this mansion I cannot answer anything carelessly."

"I suppose that includes the purpose of your meeting here," said Ulric, "That's fine, Emilia can tell me later if she so desires. As for my standing, you could say I'm something of a student of hers. Though she prefers to think of me as a friend."

"I see," said the old man, "I had assumed you were possibly a guard of some sort. Do you know how to wield that blade at your hip?"

"I can wield it to a degree," replied Ulric as he patted the sword on his waist, "Though in comparison to the knights I've seen, I still have much to learn. What about you Mr.-?"

"You may call me Wilhelm," replied the old man as he gestured for Ulric to continue.

"Mr. Wilhelm," Ulric said, "You dress like a servant, but your features and your eyes tell a different story. Tell me, have you fought before? Witnessed death perhaps?" This seemed to surprise the old man slightly.

"I have fought and I have seen death," replied Wilhelm, "You're surprisingly perceptive for a boy of your age. But I do wonder what you must've been through to be able to make such a determination so quickly. Even if you didn't have that scar on your cheek, I can tell by your eyes that you've seen death several times." Ulric was about to reply to that when they were interrupted by another unfamiliar voice.

"Old man Will," said the newcomer that Ulric perceived to be a girl with brown hair and what appeared to be cat ears sticking out of her head. She wore a white sun dress that left her shoulders exposed with a large bow on the back and blue frills along the dress. The girl's face was also quite cat-like with some blue and white bows in her hair and a type of blue collar with a bell around her neck. "Sorry to keep waiting outside like that."

"Oh it wasn't an issue at all," replied Wilhelm, "I've actually been having a pleasant conversation with this young man here." This seemed to intrigue the cat girl as she began looking the knight up and down and occasionally sniffing him. Ulric wasn't quite sure how to act, given that he'd never been smelled by a demi-human before.

"Nyow that is interesting," said the cat girl, "Emilia mentioned you smelled different."

"If you're referring to the occasional foul stench that hangs around me," said Ulric, "I'm afraid I only have a vague idea how it got there, and even less about why it's there."

"Yes," said the cat girl with an impish smile, "you seem to know ny-othing at all." The cat girl then turned to Wilhelm. "Let's go Old man Will." Wilhelm nodded as they both got into the carriage and drove it out of the mansion grounds, leaving a rather confused Ulric standing there.

After the carriage was a bit of a distance away, Felix spoke again. "I'm surprised you decided to talk with that boy," said the cat girl, "I always thought you preferred chopping people up."

"That's an unfortunate misunderstanding," replied Wilhelm as he adjusted his grip on the reins, "I was merely interested in how that boy's eyes became the way they are now." The cat girl tilted her head in confusion. "You see, those are the eyes of someone who's witnessed death numerous times. Despite his age, he had the eyes of a soldier from a war."

"And nyow you've completely lost me," said the cat girl with a sigh, "but if the sword demon, Wilhelm Van Astrea, says it then it must be true."

Back at the mansion, Ulric, Emilia, Rem and Roswaal were all in the lord of the manor's study while Emilia explained to Ulric what the meeting had been about. "So you've actually been summoned to the royal capital," surmised Ulric, "tell me, does it have to do with the royal selection?"

"It does," replied Emilia, "I'm not entirely certain of the nature of the meeting, but I know the other candidates will be there."

"Have they finally decided it's time to pick a new ruler," questioned Ulric.

"It's a pooooooosibility," Roswaal answered for Emilia, "But given that this is the fiiiiiiirst time all the candidates have been gathered, who knoooooooows."

"Well this presents a good opportunity for me as well then," said Ulric, "I imagine Reinhard Van Astrea will be on duty for such an important event, and I need to discuss a few important matters with him. With your permission of course, Emilia."

"Well I did already agree to let you come along the next time I went up that way," said Emilia as she put a hand to her chin in thought, "But I'm afraid you won't be able to attend the actual meeting itself."

"That all depends on the security of the castle," said Ulric, "If you feel that it's well-defended, then simply send me on another errand so that I'm not lazing about. Though if you or I find that security is lacking in any form, I will insist on going in with you."

"I do appreciate it sir Knight," replied Emilia, "But you've already done so much for me. I will be bringing you along, but to repay a debt I owe you and not because I'm expecting trouble."

"Pick any reason you like," said Ulric, "bring me along just because you need someone to carry something for you. My sole desire right now is simply to speak to Reinhard about a few matters. If you don't believe my sword will be necessary for this meeting, then I will defer to your judgement."

"Since I'm going along as well," said Rem, "You can have him help me with a few things. I wouldn't mind a hand with a few recipes I've been wanting to try."

"Rem, I already said I agreed to have him along," said Emilia, "I don't need any more convincing. But since you brought it up, be sure to put Sir Ulric to work when I head out for the meeting."

"I most certainly will," said Rem with a small smile as she nodded happily.

The Royal Capital

It was just like Ulric remembered it when he first awoke by the fountain. Stalls selling all kinds of food, clothing, and other wares were set up all along the street as crowds of humans and demi-humans walked along, going about their daily business. "It's just occurred to me that I have never witnessed the capital at night," said Ulric, who was currently wearing a blue, long sleeve shirt with his family's coat of arms, made courtesy of Rem despite his objections, thick grey pants and brown boots made for riding as well as a pair of thick gloves in case he had to draw the sword at his hip. The only other person with him at the moment was Emilia as Rem was back at the temporary lodge they'd checked into upon their arrival.

"It's a beautiful sight," said Emilia, who'd donned a strange, white cloak with a pair of purple-tipped ears. They looked like either cat or fox ears, but Ulric was not entirely sure. What he did know for sure was that apparently, the cloak kept anyone from recognizing her who hadn't seen her put it on. More magic the knight didn't really understand. "If we have time, we can tour the streets in the evening. But right now we need to find Reinhard and the best way to do that would probably be to check at the guard station for the nobility."

"You'll have to lead the way then," said Ulric, "I didn't have time to learn my way around the city when I arrived here. But then again you already know all about that."

"I try not to remember it in too much detail," replied Emilia, "though I do still wonder what happened to Felt after Reinhard took her away."

"Well that can be your question when we find him then," said Ulric, "But Reinhard doesn't strike me as the type of person to harm a young girl, even if she was a thief." Emilia seemed to agree with this as she led Ulric towards the guard station. As it turned out, the station was a rather large wall of sorts which curved at both ends with two towers rising above the gate where wagons passed through. The station also appeared to double as a type of living quarters given the number of windows which lined the outside of it. Currently, Ulric and Emilia stood in front of one of the two large pairs of iron doors.

That was when Ulric got his first surprise of the day. "What a surprise to see you here, Emilia," said a voice Ulric didn't recognize. Coming up on their left was a man dressed in the white military uniform and cape of the imperial knights, but with a few more red patches. The most striking feature about him, to Ulric at least, was the man's purple hair. "I hope you've been well since our last meeting."

"Oh hello Julius," said Emilia, "I'm doing about the same since we last met. You seem to be doing well yourself."

"I'm merely honored that you remember me," said Julius as he kneeled as kissed her hand, "and you've grown even more beautiful than before."

"I do thank you," said Emilia as Julius stood back up, "It's actually fortunate that you're here. If at all possible, I'd like you to act as my agent in the castle to take care of some business I have."

"Would any of it have to do with this young man accompanying you?" Questioned Julius.

"Her ladyship has agreed to help me find the knight Reinhard," replied Ulric, "I have a small bit of business with him."

"In that case," said Julius, "allow me to show you to the conference mirrors." The knight turned and began walking into the guard station. Though Ulric needed a question answered for him first.

"What exactly is a conference mirror?" Asked Ulric, "I don't think it would be terribly productive to converse with one's self."

"Well you've probably guessed they're not ordinary mirrors," said Emilia, "They're metia, items that have been enchanted with magic for a specific purpose. In this case, conference mirrors allow you to talk to someone from a different location who also has a conference mirror."

"Fascinating," said Ulric as he rubbed his chin in thought, "I'd very much like to see such a thing."

"I'm afraid that will have to wait until next time," said Emilia, "Rem wanted us to pick up some appas, and if I recall you know a merchant with some rather good appas. So to keep from boring you with a lot of talking, would you mind getting a bag?" Ulric frowned at this but nodded in the end as he headed back into the market place.

The errand took Ulric only a short time, given that the merchant's stand was one of the few places in the capital that he knew how to get too. The merchant was pleased to see him and even gave him a discount, despite Ulric telling him it wasn't necessary. In fact, Ulric managed to finish the errand so quickly that he found Emilia was still inside when he returned to the guard station. 'Well what do I do now,' thought Ulric as he stood there with a bag of appas in one arm, 'I appreciate Emilia attempting to keep me busy while she handles contacting Reinhard, but I still wonder why she insisted on me remaining out here.'

Fortunately, or unfortunately, Ulric noticed something that might alleviate his boredom in the form of someone stalking into the alley near the guard station. 'Well I still have a minute, and this shouldn't take too long to simply check on.' The fleeting thought that he'd gotten into a world of trouble the last time he walked down an unknown alley didn't deter him as much as he expected as he peeked around the corner. There, he found a blond woman in a rather decorative red dress with black outlines and a large black bow holding her hair back.

"If you don't want us to mess up that pretty face of yours, you'll do as we say," said one of what Ulric now determined to be three thugs.

"Fools with non-existent character always pick fights for petty reasons," said the blond girl as she waved a red fan with black feathers in front of her face, not seeming too worried about her predicament.

"I believe the book of proverbs might agree with that," said Ulric as he stepped into the alley and set the appas against the wall, "That being said, I'm only really here, picking a potential fight, out of boredom. Wait a minute, don't I know you three?" Sure enough, it was the same three hoodlums Ulric had encountered when he met Emilia by the shopping district. Their appearances hadn't changed at all with the tall one still wearing his hair in some sort of braids, the leader with some sort of metal piercings on his tongue and the shortest one sporting a bowl cut.

It didn't take long for the three of them to recognize Ulric either. "Wait, isn't this the knight kid who knocked you out," said the biggest one to the leader.

"He had a gauntlet on last time," said the leader, "Now all he's got is that sword on his hip. He doesn't even have greaves on now."

"That simply means I can punch faster," said Ulric as he cautiously walked by them without taking his eyes off the three, "And you'll find I don't need this sword to take you all on either." Ulric stopped next to the blond girl as he pulled out the purple blade he'd seized from Elsa, "In fact, I recall you had a pitiful pair of daggers last time, care to make it interesting and use a weapon in good condition?"

"Don't go acting like a big shot!" yelled the small one with the bowl cut, "Last time you had help from that girl's magic. This time it's three on one and you've got no one to help you!"

"Three on one on one actually," said the blond girl as she closed her fan, "I don't take disrespect from commoners lightly."

"Either way you're both dead!" exclaimed the leader as he charged forward, attempting to draw his knives as he did so. But history seemed adamant to repeat itself as Ulric used his full weight and slammed his right fist into the lead thief's face, again knocking him to the side and into the alley wall. The small thief attempted to take advantage of what he thought was an opening, only for Ulric to spin on his foot and back kick him past the larger thief. 'By the pope,' thought Ulric as he settled himself into a comfortable fighting stance, 'With all that training at the mansion, I'm much faster now.'

The large thief looked at his downed comrades with a look of uncertainty as Ulric simply cocked his hand in a 'come at me' gesture with a slight smirk on his face. But instead of the thief moving forward, the girl in the red dressed moved, knocking the thief in the face with her fan which appeared to be trailing some kind of sparkling dust. "And that will teach you to remember your place," said the blond as she opened her fan back up and waved it dismissively.

"It's a wonder there are any criminals at all," said Ulric as he put the dagger, which he never used, back in its place on his belt, "I don't think I've met a woman yet who can't defend themselves to at least a small degree."

"You weren't so bad yourself, for a commoner," said the woman as she closed her fan, "though I would've been fine on my own."

"I am curious," said Ulric as he picked up the bag of appas he'd set down earlier, "Does that fan possess some sort of magic?"

"Whether it does or does not is of no consequence," replied the blond girl, "This whole world is designed to work in a way that benefits me. Even without this fan, I wouldn't have been at a disadvantage."

"The world was designed, most certainly," said Ulric, "but in my experience, the world bends to no man or woman. Only to the father in Heaven. Though it does appear that my help was unnecessary, so if you'll excuse me-."

"There you are," said the voice of Emilia as Ulric's attention was directed back to the entrance to the alley. That's when he got the second surprise of his day. Apparently Emilia had picked up a man wearing a knight's helmet, some kind of yellow cape, a vest with no shirt and white pants.

"Ah, Lady Emilia," said Ulric, "did you swap out Julius for another guide or are we having another guest at the residence tonight?"

"She actually asked for my help to find you," said the knight, who had a somewhat higher voice than Ulric expected, "I was surprised considering I'm searching for a lost child of my own."

"Does that mean you're helping a father find their child this time Emilia?" Questioned Ulric

"Ah, Al," said the blond girl, "attentive as always. You simply waited were you knew I would show up. I commend you for that."

"You're the lost child he's looking for," said Ulric as he turned to the man now known as Al, "Now I believe the situation makes a bit more sense. You lost track of the one you were guarding."

"In a manner of speaking," replied Al, "She likes to run off on her own every now and then when it amuses her." Ulric nodded his head as Emilia hid behind him for some reason, keeping her hood a little lower.

"I see," said Ulric, taking the hint, "Well it was a pleasure to meet the both of you, but I'm afraid my own lady has some business to attend to."

"Before you go," said the blond girl, "tell me what it is you have in that bag of yours."

"They're a fruit called appas," Said Ulric, "we're using them for a recipe later on."

"But appas are white-skinned fruit," said the blond girl, seeming surprisingly sure of herself.

"When you peel them yes," said Ulric as he tossed her one of the appas from the bag, "see for yourself. I guarantee they taste just as good unpeeled. Oh, and do tread a little more carefully, this city may have a low crime rate but that doesn't mean there aren't dangerous individuals around." With that, Ulric and Emilia headed on back towards their temporary residence. The walk was silent for some time until Emilia finally spoke up.

"How is it you came to meet that girl?" Questioned Emilia, somewhat suddenly.

"In much the same way that I met you," replied Ulric, "I saw her walk down an alley that looked like it might house some less than savory characters. As it turned out, not only was I right, it was the same three hoodlums you and I encountered the last time we were here. Shortly after that, you showed up. Had I known you'd be out in another minute, I would've simply waited." Emilia stopped then and turned to him with a serious look on her face.

"I'm getting the feeling that you think I should avoid her," said Ulric, "Which, given what I saw her do with that fan, is reasonable."

"Her name is Priscilla Barielle," explained Emilia, "She's one of the royal candidates running against me."

"I see," said Ulric, "she doesn't strike me as the wisest person, given the situation I found her in."

"She doesn't really need to be," said Emilia, "She's good at making things go her way, though I don't know if that extends to her ability to lead."

"Should I simply leave her be the next time I find her in such a situation then?" Questioned Ulric.

"I'm not saying that," replied Emilia, "Just be careful that she doesn't take an interest in you. Usually her only reason for doing much of anything is because it amuses her and once she gets bored with something she tosses it aside."

"I'll take that into consideration in the unlikely event I meet her again," said Ulric with a bow, "Though you needn't worry too much. You've earned my loyalty and for a knight, that is not something that can be bought. Even if you haven't declared me your knight officially, I will still honor my code until the day you deem my services are no longer necessary." Emilia smiled softly at that as she nodded her head in agreement.

Upscale Apartment

"So you're absolutely sure you won't need me or Rem along with you tomorrow," said Ulric as he leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, "You do still have enemies and if they learn you're here in the capital for royal selection business, they will come after you."

"With us so close to the guard station, no one in their right mind would risk attacking in broad daylight," replied Emilia, "And besides, Roswaal requested that I help you out with a little something."

"I was under the impression I was here because of my request to speak to Reinhard," said Ulric.

"And you will," said Emilia, "I just need to get ahold of him at the meeting tomorrow. With luck, I can arrange something where you both can talk. So in order for you to be more presentable for that meeting, Roswaal has allowed you some funds to purchase new armor."

"Well that is very kind of him," said Ulric, "And while the armor does not make the knight, it's undeniable that I'd do better with a new set."

"Roswaal said it was the least he could do after you helped with the wolgarm incident," said Emilia, "Not to mention, they wouldn't allow me to bring an outsider into the castle, at least not without a lot of trouble. I really do wish you could go, but there's little I can do, so instead, I want you to get yourself prepared for any future problems. But also, try to stay out of trouble while I'm gone."

"I can only promise that I will do my best," replied Ulric, "I don't intend on finding trouble, but lately the wheels of fate have found me in quite a bit. Though much of it can still largely be blamed on me."

"I wouldn't blame you," said Rem, "After all, it was your ability to find trouble that you've been able to save Emilia, Sister and Rem from rather unpleasant circumstances."

"I'm not sure we should be praising him for an ability to get into trouble," said Emilia, "Anyway, just try not to do anything dangerous while Roswaal and I are in the castle tomorrow, alright."

"As you wish, your ladyship," said Ulric with his traditional knightly bow.

"And stop being so formal when we're among friends," said Emilia, getting a laugh out of Ulric and Rem.

The Capital's Market District: The Next Day

Ulric typically didn't have regrets when it came to normal, day to day issues. His time in the Crusades made him thankful for any moment of peace he could find, even if he had to do a mundane task to get that peace. But right now, he was regretting not bringing Rem along with him as a guide. He'd left the mansion a little while before Emilia and Roswaal had set out, mostly in an attempt to get back to his regular routine of waking up early.

At the time, Rem was just getting up herself and Ulric, trying to be a gentleman, decided it best to simply head on without disturbing the maid. In retrospect, he should've been a little more patient and waited to see if she was willing to lead him around. The knight had gotten himself lost for close to an hour before he managed to get directions to the part of the Market District where they sold what he was looking for. 'Well this is the place,' thought Ulric, 'or at least one of them.'

As it turned out, he was a bit early and had to wait until the store opened. But once it did, it took him almost no time at all to get an attendant to help him. He was quickly measured and asked a number of questions about his preferences when it came to armor. Given that Ulric was used to chainmail, gauntlets and greaves, he requested something along those lines. Choosing the design for the new helmet took the longest. The forger said they'd be able to do it with no problem, but, it would take a few hours to put together.

'A few hours,' thought Ulric as he wandered the street once again, 'While I do appreciate the chance to keep myself busy, I'll have surprisingly little to do once it's done. I might actually be hoping for Rem to need my help when I return.' The knight turned a corner, trying to stay close to the armor shop while exploring the rest of the area. He wasn't paying attention to much of anything until the flash of a purple cloak caught his eye.

Turning his head, Ulric froze in the middle of the street and almost got run over by a large wolf man. 'It can't be,' thought Ulric as he stared after the figure in the purple cloak with their hood up. His feet were moving before rational thought caught up with him. 'I could just be following a shady pickpocket, but can I really take that risk if that's who I think it is?' This and other thoughts swirled around in the knight's mind as he began following the figure.

At first, it seemed like he was just following someone who was on a stroll, until they turned down a strange alley. Ulric peeked around the corner in time to see the figure kneeling and removing something from the ground, revealing a hole. 'Are they going into a sewer,' thought Ulric as he watched the figure descend down the hole, pulling the covering back as they did so. Ulric waited a few moments before he moved over to the covering and removed it. The stench was strong, immediately confirming his suspicions.

'Yes, definitely a sewer of some sort,' thought Ulric as he proceeded to climb down into the hole himself, 'But what kind of knight would I be if I don't brave a little foul odor?' One shred of good news about this sewer's design was that it had walkways on either side, allowing him to traverse the labyrinthine place without trudging around in the murky water. He had to stop every now and then to listen for the sound of clicking heels on the floor in front of him to make sure he was still going in the right direction. It was difficult, given that he had to keep the cloaked figure in sight while also remaining in the shadows.

'I know Emilia told me to stay out of trouble,' thought Ulric, 'but a little spying shouldn't get me into a bad situation so long as I'm careful.' At least that was the hope as he continued to stalk his prey until they finally stopped at another ladder. Remaining in the shadows, Ulric watched as the person in question removed their hood. "You know," they said, "stalking isn't a very attractive thing to do."

Ulric realized he'd been noticed as he drew his sword just in time to block an incredibly fast attack as the woman crossed the distance between them in only a few heartbeats. All doubt was removed from his mind then as the knight stood face to face with a familiar enemy. "But in this case I'm glad you did," said Elsa with a hungry glint in her eye, "Now I can make you and the half elf girl pay for turning my last job into such an annoyance with your bowels!"

 **It seems staying out of trouble is not one of Ulric's finer skills, especially not when he's attracting the attention of a familiar, unpleasant assassin. But what was Elsa up to in the first place? Those answers will be found in the next chapter, until then I hope you all enjoyed the latest chapter and as always, feel free to leave a comment or review about what you liked/disliked or any neat ideas you might have. Be sure to stop in next time as our knight faces off once again against the bowel hunter. 'Til next time.**


	16. Return of the Bowel Hunter

**Return of the Bowel Hunter**

Sewers of the Capital

There wasn't a huge amount of light down in the sewers. Most of the light that was present, came from cracks in the ceiling above them, or the surprising number of torches that had been erected to aid in a certain task. The only other source of light came from the flash of sparks as steel against steel rang out in the tunnels, accompanied by the sound of splashing water as two figures moved back and forth, never staying in one place for too long. There was one other sound as well, the sound of a woman laughing from time to time.

"My, my," said Elsa as she flipped forward with another couple of slashes against Ulric, who managed to block the first couple before countering with a low swing. "You seem to have picked up another move or two in the time since we last met," Noted Elsa as she hopped away from the knight's attack, "Good, it wouldn't be any fun if this was over too soon."

"I picked up more than a move or two," said Ulric as he closed the distance with a slash at Elsa's head. The woman blocked it easily enough, but was then forced to flip backwards as the knight threw a punch, followed by a low kick at her legs. None of the attacks connected, but they did force Elsa back a bit further. 'This new sword may be a bit lighter,' thought Ulric, 'But in this case, I need all the speed I can get to keep up with this harlot.' A fact which quickly showed itself when Elsa flipped backwards again, only to jump off the tunnel wall and swing at Ulric's head.

The knight just barely managed to move his head aside in time as Elsa landed behind him. Anticipating the next attack, Ulric whirled around with his sword held in front of his stomach, catching his adversary's blade in mid-attack. But Elsa had expected this and caught Ulric in the face with an elbow strike, staggering him backward several feet. Elsa charged forward again, taking full advantage of the opening. Or at least she would have if a sudden light hadn't distracted her.

The sound of feet hitting the water behind her was all the warning she got as she turned around to divert a stabbing attack aimed straight at her heart. 'Wait a moment,' thought Elsa as she locked blades with the knight, 'that light from before wasn't a reflection from his blade. It's coming from his body.' Ulric broke the lock then and began a series of quick slashes, all aimed at different vital areas.

'He's faster and stronger too,' Elsa realized as she furiously blocked each strike, attempting to find any kind of opening she could. When her foe came in with another low strike, she back-flipped towards the wall and jumped off of it with a slash aimed at Ulric's shoulder. But the knight was quick to raise his sword, blocking the strike. 'Now I've got you,' thought Elsa as she pulled out her spare blade and attempted to cut her opponent's face.

But to her surprise, Ulric managed to catch her arm with his left hand, which he proceeded to use as a lever to slam her on the ground. Elsa rolled away just in time to avoid a nasty vertical strike. "I've seen that trick more than once already," said Ulric as he resumed his fighting stance, "You'll have to do better than that."

"It seems so," said Elsa as she backed up a bit, "I wasn't expecting light magic from one such as you. But there are ways to work around such a thing." Elsa then slashed at the lit torches near her, putting them out before disappearing into the shadows. "The downside of such a spell, you become one large guide light while someone like me, who's been trained to fight in the dark," The assassin moved back into the shadows, "can move about quite freely." Her silhouette disappeared completely then.

Ulric's eyes darted from one place to another as the sound of an occasional splash would give him only a vague idea of where his enemy was. Even with the knight's eyes adjusted to the dark, he could barely see much more than a few feet in front of him. A loud splash erupted on his back left then, as he was splashed with some of the sewage, disrupting his vision. On instinct Ulric jumped back, feeling the whistling swing of a blade only a few inches from his midsection.

Ulric dodged right then, hopping up on the edge of the tunnel where the walkway was. Pressing his back against the wall, the knight took a slightly deeper stance with his sword held out in front, protecting his center. Another splash and a glint signaled the next attack on the knight's front left side which he was barely able to deflect before swinging back. But Elsa was able to strike and fade back into the shadows in almost an instant, making it near impossible for the knight to chase after her.

"Not a bad strategy," Said the voice of Elsa, laughing from the darkness, "Keeping your back against the wall will limit my options of attack, however." A blade came sailing through the air out of the shadows, cutting Ulric's shoulder as it embedded itself in the wall next to him. Ulric then managed to block another slash at his midsection but not the follow up kick to his cheek, which staggered him a bit. "Your mana flow can't last forever, once the darkness engulfs you, it won't matter how fortified your position is. If you can't see the attack coming, there's nothing you can do to stop it."

'Not unless I kill you first,' thought Ulric as he concentrated on Jiwald, 'never tried this in combat, but it's all I've got at the moment.' As he focused his mana more, the glow around his body got brighter, illuminating more of the chamber and revealing a not so happy Elsa. Taking the opportunity, the knight launched himself forward with a vicious diagonal strike. His surprised opponent leapt back, narrowly avoiding the strike as the knight swung at her again and again in a flurry of strikes that pushed her back and across the underground chamber.

The knight had the advantage for now, but his furious strikes were also a sign of desperation. He couldn't keep this up for too long, if he didn't strike a fatal blow soon, he'd be in trouble. This was something the assassin caught onto eventually and used it to her full advantage as she switched to simply blocking and dodging, not even bothering to counter as she used her impressive acrobatic skills to stay out of Ulric's reach. That was when Ulric used a series of feints to drive her into a corner before slashing purposely low.

Elsa predictably jumped over it and pushed off the knight's shoulder in an attempt to get some distance. But Ulric anticipated this and grabbed her ankle as she was in midair and slammed her on the ground before yanking the assassin across the floor and into the nearby wall. "You've grown quite a bit in a short time little knight," coughed Elsa, "I'm impressed."

"Flattery won't spare you my blade," said Ulric, "The only thing that could do that now is your surrender and your explanation as to why you're here."

"That should be obvious," said Elsa as she stood up slowly, leaning against the wall, "I'm here to cut open someone's bowels. In this instance, your little half elf girl's. And the bowels of the large one standing behind you."

"That's a rather old trick that hasn't worked on me in-," Ulric started to say before the sound of heavy stomping in the water caught his attention.

"Knight Boy, what are you doing here?" Questioned the confused old man Rom. That moment of distraction was all Elsa needed to make a move. The assassin leapt forward, nearly catching Ulric in the stomach with her blade if the knight hadn't reacted at the last second to block it. But she wasn't done as she rushed past him and headed right for Rom. The old man had to drop some of what he was carrying in an effort to grab the club he'd brought with him.

But he was too slow as Elsa came within a few feet of him. At the last second, his life was spared by Ulric stepping in between him and the assassin to block her blow, but at the cost of using up the last of his mana for Jiwald to get there in time. Without it, Ulric couldn't bring his guard back up fast enough to stop the slash at his midsection. "It's a shame you forgot your armor," said Elsa as she backed up for a moment as Ulric collapsed to one knee with his hand on the gaping wound, "You'd have lasted just a bit longer with it."

"Run old man," Ulric called back as he forced himself up.

"But I can't be leavin' you to fight here all by-," Rom started to protest before he was cut off by Ulric.

"She'll only kill us both if you stay," said Ulric, "now go!" Rom didn't like it, but he turned and went as instructed.

"It's his lucky day," said Elsa as she stalked forward, her tongue licking her lips, "Playing with you has really cut my time short, so I can't go chasing after him. But even if he alerts the guards, it'll be too late once the royal selection starts."

"So that's your plan," said Ulric as he held his sword unsteadily, "sneaking into the palace by using the passages in the sewers."

"Very good," said Elsa, "not that you'll be able to do anything about it now. So be a good boy and show me your bowels!" She shot forward then, a murderous glee in her eyes as Ulric let out a final battle cry and charged forward.

The Capital: Market District

"Hey, you alright there," questioned the smith as Ulric came back to his senses.

"What," said the knight as he began frantically looking around, trying to figure out where he currently was.

"I was just asking you if you needed any other additions to your armor," said the smith.

"Oh, no what we've already discussed will do," said Ulric, "How long will it take to get this together?"

"It will take a few hours to make the necessary adjustments," replied the smith, "We'll also need some time to put together the coat of arms you requested. It'd be best if you came back a bit later."

"Yes, that sounds reasonable," said Ulric, "With luck, I'll be back before it's been too long." The smith nodded before heading back into their shop while Ulric made his way straight towards the guard station. 'In spite of all I've learned, I'm still not quite strong enough to take Elsa on completely alone, I'm going to need help to stop her.'

The Guard Station

"What do you mean you can't spare any men right now?!" Questioned Ulric, trying to keep his temper in check, "I'm telling you there is an assassin in this city planning to kill one of the candidates for the royal selection!"

"That's nothing new," replied the Imperial knight captain that Ulric had been speaking to, a blond-haired man who was currently in charge, "Assassination attempts on royal candidates has happened before. We've taken numerous precautions and there are nearly a hundred knights that will be inside the royal chambers for the meeting, including the imperial knight's commander and Reinhard himself. If an assassin is foolish enough to try storming in, they'll be cut down in no time."

"But what if they come up from underground?" Ulric pointed out, "You don't have a single patrol in the sewers. This assassin has a single target and all they'll need is a few seconds to break in, kill their target and get out by leaping back underground."

"So what would you have us do?" Questioned the captain, "We can't just divide our forces by sending a large number of them down in the sewers. Do you have any idea how many men we'd need to comb the sewers just in this area when we don't know where the target is?"

"But you won't need to look," said Ulric, "I already know where they're going to be. I just need a few very capable men to subdue the assassin when we find her."

"And how do I know this isn't just a diversion tactic," questioned the knight captain, "I find it awfully convenient that you know exactly where and when the assassin is going to strike and even the name of the assassin. It wouldn't be farfetched if this was actually a trap meant to get our best out of the royal chambers while another group takes advantage of our weakened defenses."

"If you're truly that confident in your defenses as they are," said Ulric, "Then sparing just a few men won't leave you completely vulnerable. Or are you telling me that you're just going to ignore a credible threat to the potential next ruler of Lugnica?"

"We won't ignore it," said the knight captain, "We simply just need to raise the level of alertness. That way we won't need to weaken our defenses by sending out men unnecessarily, and we'll be more likely to catch your assassin if she does happen to show up."

"If that's really the best you can do," said Ulric as he turned to walk away, "Then thank you for proving to be an utter waste of time." The knight then made his way through the city streets, trying to think of a way to stop Elsa. 'I know I can't take her alone, but at this point I won't have time to head back to the apartment to get Rem. At the moment, my best hope is to try and catch her by surprise and then-.'

Ulric stopped as he noticed a familiar figure wandering through the crowd and into a side alley. 'Well I know he's going to show up anyway,' thought Ulric as he stalked into the alley. The large man was too busy getting the opening to the sewers off to notice Ulric's approach until the knight tapped him on the shoulder. "What do you-oh knight boy, what are you doing all the way out here? I thought you'd been whisked away by the half elf."

"I was," said Ulric, "Now I'm back here to save her once again. You want to know the best part, I'm saving her from the same assassin that we fought last time."

"That crazy Elsa lady!" Exclaimed Rom, "Shouldn't you be going to get Reinhard or one of the other high ranking knights then?!"

"Tried that already I'm afraid," replied Ulric, "So I decided to go and find any allies I could, hence why I'm here."

"Well I'm flattered that you thought of me," said Rom as he rubbed his bald head, "But I've got no intention of going up against that lady again."

"If you head down those sewers like you're planning to right now, you'll run into her regardless," revealed Ulric.

"Wait, she's down here in the blasted sewers," said Rom, his brow twitching in irritation.

"Indeed she is," said Ulric, "She plans on using them to sneak onto the castle grounds somehow. Come to think of it, what use have you for trouncing around in the sewers?"

"Oh, I was just looking for some products to sell," replied Rom, "You never know what you might find down there."

"And you brought a pack of several torches, a few weapons and your trusty club to do so," said Ulric, "It seems to me you'd need a bit more room in your pack if that's what you were actually doing." Rom thought more about what he should say next before sighing.

"Alright, if you really must know," said Rom, "The sewers are my only way to get into the castle. As you might already know, Felt was taken by Reinhard and word has it she'll be there with him."

"Well tell you what old man Rom," said Ulric, "I might have a bit of a plan for dealing with Elsa but I need some help to pull it off. So if you're willing to help me, I can talk to Emilia and see if you can't get an audience with Reinhard. As it is, I have a need to see the knight myself, but I won't force you to come along with me." Rom seemed to think about this for a moment as he scratched his head.

"Well I'm not getting any younger I suppose," said Rom, "If there's even a slight chance I can see the girl I helped raise again, then I'll do it. Worse comes to worse and I die, then at least you might be able to give her my final regards."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," said Ulric, "Now, Shall we descend into the depths of the unknown to face our enemy?"

"Hmph, let's go save our princesses," said Rom in agreement as they both entered the sewers, ready to face their mutual adversary once again.

 **It seems our knight has found himself in yet another cycle of death and repeat as the bowel hunter herself returns to finish what she started. Will Rom's help and Ulric's recent experience be enough to stand up to the blood thirsty assassin? A better question, why the short chapter this week, and the truth is, it just seemed like a good place to leave off because I got plans for a good bit happening next chapter. In the mean time, I hope you all enjoyed this latest entry in the story and feel free to leave a comment or review about what you liked/disliked or if you got a crafty little idea to make the story better. Be sure to stop in next time as Ulric and Rom employ every trick in their arsenal to prevent Emilia's assassination.**


	17. Struggle Beneath the Castle

**Struggle Beneath the Castle**

Sewers beneath the Capital

One of the downsides of an event rewinding itself was having to go through certain irritating situations more than once. In this case, trudging through the sewers which were just as foul and smelled just as terribly as the first time Ulric walked down it. In some ways he envied his companion, old man Rom, who from his perspective was doing this for the first and only time. 'Just another incentive to not let myself perish again,' thought Ulric as they turned another corner and started trudging down a familiar section of the sewers.

"I hope this plan of yours works out," said Rom as he held a torch to light the way in front of them, "I may be an old man from the slums, but that doesn't mean I want to die down in a place like this."

"If the plan works," replied Ulric, "there will only be one death today, and I don't really care where her corpse ends up."

"You really hate this lady don'tcha," said Rom as he inspected his torch to insure it wasn't about to go out.

"Elsa is attempting to take the life of the one I currently serve," said Ulric, "Even if she wasn't a royal candidate, she is a good friend and a wonderful person. It's currently my belief that she could contribute greatly to the world if given the chance. It would be a tragedy if her life were cut short before any of that can happen."

"You really are a knight aren't ya," quipped Rom before stopping suddenly. The old man dosed his torch in the water then, leaving only one good source of illumination in the distance, the glow of the torches Elsa had set up. Ulric gripped his sword and moved along the wall slowly and cautiously as Rom took off his pack and began rummaging in it for a few of the items he'd brought with him. As the knight approached, the assassin suddenly froze before her head whipped around in Ulric's direction. Moving quickly, Ulric pressed himself against the wall, doing everything he could to hold still in the shadows as Elsa's eyes swept the area behind her.

It was a tense moment, and Ulric found it was difficult to keep his hand from trembling, be it from fear or excitement he didn't know. After another minute which felt like an eternity, Elsa went back to what she had been doing, setting up some strange cylinders with what appeared to be fuses on them. Ulric released the breath he'd been holding as he continued to inch forward, reaching behind his back as he got close. As he was about to draw the dagger, though, Elsa suddenly stopped.

"I don't know what in the world someone else would be doing down here," said Elsa as she stood up. Ulric let go of the dagger then as he moved his hand back to his sword. "But whatever the reason, I'm afraid I can't have anyone who knows about my escape route."

"I know about more than that, bowel hunter," said Ulric as he drew his sword.

"Oh," said Elsa as she turned to him with a hungry smirk on her face, "It's you little knight. This is most unexpected, but oh so fortunate at the same time." Elsa tossed her cloak in the air as she charged him then, their blades clashing and sending a resounding ring throughout the tunnels. "I still owe you for the last job you and the half elf ruined!"

"Is that why you accepted such a difficult task as breaking into the castle?!" Questioned Ulric as he and Elsa traded blows, their blades creating sparks with each impact, "You want revenge?!"

"I do have my pride as a professional," replied Elsa as she knocked Ulric's blade aside before delivering a chop strike where his shoulder met his neck, "But yes, revenge is part of it." The knight cringed in pain as he just managed to deflect her next overhand strike before rolling away into the sewage. As Elsa attempted to follow, Ulric kicked up some of the nasty water, causing Elsa to miss as Ulric went in for a strike at her midsection. But the assassin's experience showed through as she dodged to the side, receiving only a minor cut in her revealing clothing.

Ulric pressed the attack as the assassin found herself slowed somewhat in the more than ankle deep water. At least, that's what he'd thought as he managed to find an opening in her defense and slash low at her leg. But the assassin simply smirked as she leapt out of the water and over Ulric, kicking him in the back in the process. "You have gotten better," remarked Elsa as she rushed at Ulric with a low slash, "But you're still not in my league."

"Oh no," said Ulric as his body began glowing blue. The surprised assassin faltered in her charge as the knight leapt up and swung at her head, forcing her to slow down and block the strike. This allowed Ulric, with his now enhanced speed and strength, to strike with a devastating knee to his opponent's gut, causing her to wretch a little as she was staggered back several feet. "Let's see what you think of my mana use!" The knight rushed her this time, forcing her on the defensive as he backed her up to the wall with the ferocity of his slashes.

As before, the moment she got too close to the wall, she kicked off of it and attempted to slash Ulric in the shoulder. But the knight, having done this once already, was able to anticipate the attack and grab her wrist, using his strength to swing her back into the wall. Elsa grunted in pain from the impact, but was still able to counter with a kick to Ulric's midsection, pushing him back as she retreated to her torches. "Very good, but that spell does have a weakness," said Elsa as she once again doused the flames.

"I know," said Ulric as he backed up to the center of the tunnel, "And I came with a solution to it, NOW!" The sound of a torch being lit illuminated the area behind Ulric before it was thrown over his shoulder onto the walkway. A second one was thrown onto the other side, revealing a surprised Elsa as the knight struck out, nearly beheading her with his sword as she hastily retreated. Rom lit and threw out even more torches, illuminating the chamber and eliminating most of Elsa's advantage in the darkness.

It also allowed Ulric to maintain Jiwald at a lower level, which kept his mana reserves at a fair level while he leapt around the tunnel to keep his opponent's acrobatic fighting style in check. But as before, he might've been able to keep up with her, but he couldn't land a solid hit. "This wasn't a bad strategy," said Elsa as she dodged and moved away from Ulric again, "I must admit I underestimated you, however," Elsa landed and kicked one of the torches at Ulric, "A good warrior knows how to adapt." The knight managed to bat the torch away before narrowly avoiding Elsa's thrown blade.

The weapon curved in the air and turned back towards them as Elsa caught her weapon and threw another torch at Ulric. He deflected this one as well, but this time it fell in the sewage, dousing the flame and darkening the chamber. Elsa repeated this process twice more before grabbing a torch and wielding it in her left hand. "Now it's my turn," remarked Elsa as she rushed forward, knocking a few more torches into the water.

Ulric was on the defensive now as the assassin swung the torch towards his head multiple times. While the knight was able to block the strikes, the flames in his face blocked his vision from seeing the movements of her purple blade. It was only thanks to his experience with her fighting style that he was able to block the first few strikes aimed at his stomach before she managed a cut on his shoulder, then another one on his left arm, and yet another on his right hand. Eventually, after a few more cuts, the knight was able to lock his blade with both her weapon and torch as the two of them tried to overpower each other with strength. "You've been an amusing challenge to say the least," said Elsa, "I think when I kill your half elf friend, I'll be kind and let her know how your bowels looked."

"You'd like to think so, wouldn't you," said Ulric as a large flame suddenly ignited behind him, "But those torches weren't our only plan!" The knight rolled back then as he brought up a foot and kicked Elsa off of him, sending her towards Rom who swung at her with his now flaming club. The assassin was able to dodge the first few strikes, but thanks to Rom's large size, she couldn't simply dodge around him like she had at his shop.

"I still owe you for slicing open my neck," exclaimed Rom as he forced her back with a few more swings of his flaming club. Ulric attempted to slice at the assassin from behind as the two fighters boxed her in. It became an intricate dance then as Elsa blocked, spun, and flipped around their strikes, often with only inches to spare. 'She can't keep this up forever,' thought Ulric as he managed to get in another cut on her clothing, 'All it'll take is for her to make one mistake and we can win this.'

This unfortunately extended to them as well, however, as Elsa managed to spot an opening by slashing at Rom's hand before sliding between his legs and slashing his Achilles tendon on his left leg. Rom growled in pain as he dropped his club and collapsed on one knee. "Rom," called Ulric as he rushed over to his friend, fairly certain of Elsa's intentions as he jumped up and shoved the large man's head out of the way. Elsa was counting on this, though, as she slammed into the knight at full speed in midair, causing them to land and slide a few feet into the sewage where Elsa had been setting up.

Ulric tried to raise his sword, only for Elsa to plant her foot on his weapon. "Now, show me your bowels!" Exclaimed Elsa with a crazed look on her face as she was about to bring her weapon down in a horizontal slash from the left. Ulric raised his left hand and caught the blade with his hand, focusing his mana as Jiwald ended suddenly. "KITO JIWALD!" yelled Ulric as an orb almost as large as a kick ball formed in his hand, breaking Elsa's blade as it slammed into her stomach.

The assassin shrieked in agony as the attack sent her flying upward into the ceiling of the tunnel and busting through it. "How do you like being hit in the bowels," quipped Ulric as he struggled to his feet, immediately regretting his choice of words.

"You alright over there knight boy," asked Rom as he managed to walk over to where Ulric was at.

"I've been worse," said Ulric as he inspected his wounds for a quick moment, "But we'd best make sure she's dealt with. You weren't awake when she survived Reinhard's attack."

"Fair point," said Rom as he grabbed Ulric by the back of his shirt, "Up you go." The large club wielder tossed the knight up into a large dust cloud which had been created by Elsa smashing through. All he could really see was that the black and white, stone tile floor was incredibly ornate. "You see anything up there knight boy," asked Rom as he poked his head out of the hole. Before Ulric could answer, a large gust of wind blasted all of the dust away, revealing that they were in a massive, ornate throne room with gold symbols inlaid into many of the walls and banners with varying symbols hanging from them.

The second thing that they noticed was the massive number of people gathered in the room with what appeared to be nobles on the right side and knights on the left side. Before they could notice anything else, the both of them were grabbed and wrestled to the floor by said knights as a man in knight's armor and a green, military style haircut and short beard on his chin, stopped in front of them. "It appears we have some form of amateur assassination attempt," said the knight commander, "breaking into the castle is a serious crime."

"Did you," Ulric struggled to say as his head was currently pinned to the floor, "Did you capture the woman as well?"

"Yes," replied the knight commander as he indicated the unconscious assassin being held by another couple of knights, "And like the two of you, she will be executed for intrusion on castle grounds and for making an attempt on the life of the royal candidates." The knight commander raised his hand then, about to give the signal for another pair of knights to behead them before it was stopped suddenly by a familiar face catching his arm.

"If I may," said Reinhard as he released the knight commander's hand, "I think the situation isn't quite what we think."

"WAIT!" Said Emilia as she rushed over, "I know these two, they're not here to harm anyone."

"I know them as well," said Reinhard, "I can vouch for their integrity if anyone wishes to question it." The knight commander didn't look pleased about it, but he ordered them released. Ulric and Rom stood up a little shakily due to their injuries.

"Are you two alright," questioned Emilia as she started healing their wounds, "What happened anyway, why is Elsa here?"

"She'd come to assassinate you," replied Ulric, "as for how I found out, I'm afraid I must ask your forgiveness your ladyship. It seems your assessment of me was correct, I am quite terrible at staying out of trouble." Emilia shook her head at that.

"Hey I know you," said Felt suddenly as she kicked Ulric in the side, causing the knight to cringe in pain, "How's your stomach been since it was cut open?"

"Felt," said Ulric, surprise evident in his voice as he saw the yellow dress that went down to the former thief's feet, "What are you doing here, and when did you start wearing dresses?"

"He drug me all the way here," said Felt as she pointed a thumb at Reinhard, "apparently I'm also a candidate in this royal selection nonsense."

"And I have pledged my loyalty to her," said Reinhard with a bow, "It is my belief that her words will reach everyone someday."

"But it's also good to see you too old man Rom," said Felt with a smile.

"If you're all quite finished with this interruption," said an old man with a grey beard, "We still have a selection to begin." It was then that Ulric noticed the council of elders that was gathered in a row of ornate chairs set up right behind an empty throne. 'This must be the elders that are overseeing the country in the ruler's absence,' Ulric realized.

"Yes, my apologies elders," said Emilia as she turned back to them, "If I may make a request, I would like a healer to go with Ulric and Rom here. They both sustained injuries foiling an assassination attempt on one or all of us. I think they deserve that much."

"Very well," said another one of the elders, who Ulric noted had incredibly large eyebrows, "We'll send for one right away."

"That won't be necessary," said a green-haired woman wearing a blue, military style button up uniform with long coat tails and a sword hanging from her hip, "Felix can attend to both of them. However, I would like one question answered before I send him along."

"What exactly are you wantin' to kno-," Rom was about to blatantly ask before Ulric nudged him in the side.

"What is it you wish to know," said Ulric with a slight bow, remembering his manners at the last second.

"What exactly are your positions in regards to the royal candidates," Questioned the woman.

"Old Man Rom is my family," Felt cut in as she pointed to herself, "Consider him to be with me Lady Crutch!"

"It's Crusch, lady Felt," the green-haired woman corrected, "And that response only answers half the question."

"I'm afraid my position is a little difficult to explain," Said Ulric, "In my homeland I was granted the rank of knight and soldier. But, given the caliber of swordsman I've seen in the imperial knights so far, I consider myself only to be a student under Lady Emilia. But, if she so wishes it," Ulric got down on one knee with a hand over his heart, "I will become her knight." The room grew silent then as all eyes seemed to turn to Emilia. The half elf looked around a bit before sighing.

"As you said, you're terrible at keeping out of trouble," said Emilia, "But I can't deny that I owe you a debt once again. So at least for today, you are my knight." Emilia then turned to Crusch. "And since he is my knight, I ask that you treat him well."

"Of course," said Crusch, "Felix, show them your skills."

"You can count on me Lady Crusch," said Felix with a wink before leading Ulric and Rom out of the throne room, "Ny-ow, let's get you two patched up."

Some Time Later

Ulric wasn't sure how long he waited before the massive doors to the throne room finally opened, but when they did, a relieved Emilia, Felt and Reinhard came walking out of them. "How are they Felix?" Questioned Emilia.

"The big old man should be fine ny-ow," replied Felix, "As for Ulric here, he just ny-eeds to rest a bit and recover his mana."

"Thank goodness," said Emilia, "And there were no traces of poison on their cuts?"

"Ny-othing I wasn't able to ny-eutralize," replied Felix with another wink, "you weren't exaggerating when you said he had a kny-ack for getting into trouble. I do recommend that you keep an eye on him to make sure there are ny-o residual effects from the poison."

"But you have to admit, he didn't do a bad job if you don't count the hole in the floor," said Reinhard as he turned to Ulric, "It's too bad he couldn't have met you before. The progress you've made in a few weeks' time is quite impressive."

"I beg your pardon, what do you mean by 'he?'" Questioned Ulric, not sure he heard Reinhard correctly.

"It usually takes most people by surprise," said Reinhard as he pointed to Felix, "But despite his feminine appearance, Felix Argyle is actually male."

"I pray that God will allow you to break whatever curse afflicts you then," said Ulric, "I can't imagine the difficulty you must have in day to day life."

"Oh this," said Felix as he pointed to himself, "this is nyo-thing, I was born this way and this is the way I want to stay."

"If that is your desire," said Ulric, confused as to why any man or boy would want to be so feminine.

"Well if that's out of the way," said Felt, "I would like to get out of here. But Reinhard here says he has some business he'd like to discuss with you."

"I do hope I didn't cause any offense with our entrance into the castle," said Ulric, "The spell I used turned out more effective than even I'd expected."

"No need to worry sir knight," replied Reinhard as he raised his hand, "You actually broke up a little disagreement between some of the royal candidates with your entrance. If nothing else, I think it actually got us back on track and allowed the royal selection to finally begin."

"Well if ya need us to blow up more floors," said Rom, "We could probably accommodate ya."

"Actually," said Reinhard, "I believe that I owe Sir Ulric here a new sword, among other pieces of equipment." When Ulric heard this, he couldn't help but smirk a little.

"You do indeed," said Ulric, "And one more request, if my lady is willing. Would you teach me a little about fighting like an imperial knight?"

 **Elsa has been foiled thanks to some careful planning, and the luck of being underneath a palace full of knights. But this assassin isn't the only enemy of Lady Emilia. Hello everyone, hope you're enjoying the weekend and hopefully this latest chapter as well. Just a heads up for the coming weeks, some of my updates may come slightly later, though fingers crossed that isn't the case. In the meantime, feel free to leave a comment or review about what you liked/disliked or any neat ideas you might have to help the story along. Be sure to stop in next time as Ulric gets his long awaited sword lesson from the legendary Reinhard. 'Til next time.**


	18. Royal Candidates, Royal Rivals

**Royal Candidates, Royal Rivals**

Imperial Knight's Barracks

The morning was rather pleasant as the sun shone overhead on an open area of the barracks that had numerous racks of weapons along the walls and assorted training dummies scattered all about. Not that Ulric could really enjoy it as he stood swinging a large two-handed sword that Reinhard had called a 'Zweihander' in the large, rectangular training yard. It was meant to build up his strength a bit, but Ulric was also following instructions that the knight had given him about focusing the mana around him. 'Be aware of your environment,' Reinhard had said, 'feel the mana in the atmosphere and draw it towards you. Focus it towards a singular purpose.'

Ulric still didn't understand it fully, but given the way Reinhard had easily bested him in every one of their sparring sessions, there was clearly something to it. 'I have to visualize it,' thought Ulric as he shifted to another series of moves with the large sword, 'keep an image in my head of the mana drawing towards me, even when I'm exhausted.' Predictably, nothing had happened the first few times he'd attempted this, but the more he practiced the more he noticed a change in the atmosphere around him, as if the air was getting heavier. As he wound up for the final strike of the form, a seeming gust of wind accompanied the slash as it seemed to ring out through the air.

"A step in the right direction," called Reinhard as he entered the training yard along with Felt, Emilia, Rem and surprisingly Wilhelm, the old man that he'd met alongside Felix at Roswaal's mansion.

"I surely hope so," said Ulric as he set the long blade back on the weapons rack, "Your advice on my sword form has been quite enlightening, and that's not even mentioning the new ways you've shown me how to use mana."

"I'm certainly glad to hear it," said Reinhard with his usual friendly smile, "I've never really given much instruction before. In all honesty I was afraid my explanation might not have made any sense at all, I certainly didn't understand it the first time."

"You're far too humble Reinhard," said Wilhelm, "It's all well and good that you don't boast about your abilities, but you should have a little more trust in yourself. You didn't achieve your position by knowing nothing."

"You've certainly taught him more than I have," said Emilia, "All I could teach him was about the flow of mana and Puck taught him a few spells. But I could never teach him anything about being a knight."

"And now you're being too humble Emilia," Said Ulric as he sat down at one of the benches in the training yard, "You taught me how to use mana in the first place. Jiwald was my first and still most useful spell, without it I'd likely be dead twice over. Reinhard may be instructing me for now, but you will always be my first teacher from this land and I consider it a privilege to have been your student." Emilia wasn't quite sure what to say to his praise, but Felt beat her to it with her usual attitude.

"Yes, yes we all love and respect each other," said Felt, "Gosh I had to deal with plenty of this 'upper-class' speech earlier today. They're lucky it was about old man Rom or I would've fallen asleep right there."

"How is Rom?" Questioned Ulric, "After he was healed by Felix, the knights escorted him out. I haven't heard from him in the last few days."

"He's doing just fine," said Felt, "I got him fixed up with a little reward for helping to stop that psycho-b-."

"Lady Felt, manners around our friends please," Reinhard politely corrected the former thief.

"Oh sorry," said Felt, "I mean that terribly dreadful assassin. Oh how my heart was clutched with fear upon seeing her again." Everyone laughed a little at this as Felt's tone was clearly sarcastic, a complete mockery of the noble's language. "But what took so long was convincing the knight commander to allow him on the castle grounds to visit me. I've never had to ask nicely for anything in my life, it was infuriating!"

"But you managed it Lady Felt," said Reinhard, "With some more time and teaching, I know you'll make a wonderful queen someday."

"Well I still don't really want to, but I'd do a better job than that prissy lady in the red dress," said Felt with her hands on her hips, "I thought I'd met plenty of stuck up people, but she makes them all look friendly in comparison!"

"Speaking of meeting," said Ulric, "Might I inquire as to why Mr. Wilhelm is joining us today? I was under the impression that he served Lady Crusch. Is there a type of business she has with us at this time?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes," replied Wilhelm, "she wishes to have a meeting this evening with the three of you." Wilhelm indicated Emilia, Ulric and Rem.

"Might I ask what it is she wishes to discuss?" Questioned Emilia, "I'm on quite a tight schedule this evening as I already have a number of items that must be attended to with Lord Roswaal. If she wishes to meet now, however, I could accommodate her."

"I'm afraid she will be occupied for some time today," replied Wilhelm with a bow, "But she told me if you are unable to attend Lady Emilia, the presence of your maid and Sir Ulric will suffice. It seems she has some questions she wishes to be answered. Will that be acceptable to you, Sir Knight?"

"That is up to Miss Emilia," replied Ulric, "As her knight, my obligations are to protect her when the need arises and provide assistance in whatever matters I can. If her ladyship deems it important, then I shall attend without fail."

"I am also obligated as well," replied Rem, "My lord Roswaal has ordered me to attend to her ladyship. If she wishes, I shall be there." All eyes turned to Emilia then as they awaited an answer. Emilia thought it over for a moment before sighing.

"As stated earlier, I myself cannot attend this evening," said Emilia, "But I do not wish to appear rude in denying her invitation either. So I will allow Ulric and Rem to act in my stead. They will answer any questions they can and should you require it, they can bring any further messages you may have back to me. I will also send them with a list of dates and times that I am available should she wish to meet in person in the near future."

"That is more than acceptable," said Wilhelm with another bow before strolling over to a rack that held a number of wooden training weapons.

"Was there anything else you needed?" Questioned Emilia as Wilhelm returned with a pair of wooden swords.

"Actually, I am also here for a reason of my own," said Wilhelm, "Reinhard here has business to attend to in the far reaches of the city. Since he will not be available for some time, he's asked me to finish up Ulric's training for the day before I return to Lady Crusch. She has already given her permission."

"I really do wish I could stay," said Reinhard as he rubbed his head a bit, "a friendly sparring match would be a lot more fun than the report I'll be needing to file later. But a knight must attend to his duties in protecting the kingdom, and so I must go."

"It is a true disappointment," said Ulric, "But you have already given me far more of your time than I honestly deserved, now it is my duty to take what you've taught me and apply it."

"Fear not," said Reinhard, "I should be back to train you soon if this business goes well. Until then it is as you say, we both have our knightly duties to attend too." The two knights quickly shook hands before Reinhard and Felt departed the barracks.

"I will need to be going as well," said Emilia, "Rem, keep an eye on Ulric. You may need to carry him back again today."

"Of course your ladyship," said Rem with a bow as Emilia turned and exited the training area.

"Should I be offended that you expect me to collapse so easily?" Questioned Ulric.

"I believe Lady Emilia thinks, as I do, that you will simply push yourself a little too hard again," replied Rem, "Even if it has happened only once since you started your training, you seem to make a habit of winding up in a hospital bed. Not to mention, your opponent will not be an easy one for this sparring session."

"Now you have made me curious," said Ulric as he turned to Wilhelm, "Tell me good sir, are you capable of participating in such a session?"

"I'm not as young as I used to be," said Wilhelm as he tossed one of the wooden swords to Ulric, "But I'd like to think I can still hold my own. After all, I'm curious to see what you're capable of."

"I wish to know that about you as well," said Ulric as he took a fighting stance with his sword held high on his right side. Rem turned and walked off the arena before turning around and raising her hand.

"To insure this does not get out of hand," said Rem, "I will keep watch over this match. If I believe it is going too far, I will stop it. Now," Rem raised her right hand before bringing it down in a slicing gesture, "You may begin." Ulric wasted no time in charging forward, making sure his first swing was fairly telegraphed as he aimed it at Wilhelm's right shoulder. At the last second, he changed the angle of his strike and aimed for opponent's lower right side.

Wilhelm, who'd assumed a stance with his blade pointed downwards, didn't even flinch as he swung upwards, knocking Ulric away and breaking his charge as he did so. The knight recovered quickly and aimed another strike at his left leg. The old veteran simply did a quick turn out of the way before deflecting a jab at his heart. "You have good form," said Wilhelm as he and Ulric locked blades, the old man still fighting with only one hand, "but you shouldn't feel a need to hold back against me. Follow up on your strikes and fight me as you would an actual enemy."

Ulric's answer was to break their lock before swinging a strike at his head. The old man simply leaned back then leapt away to avoid a sweeping kick as Ulric came in with another jab. This one was a feint, however, as Ulric withdrew his sword at the last second to throw a punch at Wilhelm's midsection. "Inventive," said Wilhelm as he caught Ulric's fist with his left hand, "But remember."

Ulric just barely managed to block Wilhelm's strike against his neck as he was nearly knocked over from the force of the blow. "Don't leave yourself too vulnerable when going for more unorthodox attacks. It may catch your opponent off guard, but if it doesn't finish the job, you might be the one who dies." Wilhelm took a more firm stance as he held his sword point up this time, though still one-handed. "I've heard you are a light attribute with an enhancement spell, I'd like to see it if you'd be so inclined."

"Hmph," said Ulric as he activated Jiwald nonverbally, "As you wish, but only if you'll do me a favor as well."

"And what would that be?" Questioned Wilhelm with a bit of amusement in his eyes.

"Should I manage to land a single hit against you," said Ulric, "I would like for you to tell me who you really are, old warrior." Wilhelm almost smiled at this.

"As you wish," said Wilhelm, "feel free to come at me with all you've got." Ulric smirked at that as he charged forward again.

"Deus Vult!" yelled Ulric as he leapt upwards in an attempt to hit Wilhelm with an aerial maneuver. The veteran warrior deflected this one as he had the other ones, but Ulric continued to press the attack, aiming high and low with basic strikes before switching to more advanced maneuvers. The barrage was an intense spectacle as every impact rung out in the courtyard with the interval between them getting shorter and shorter.

The old veteran, while still possessing an amused gleam in his eyes, was not smirking as much anymore. In fact, he seemed to be actually concentrating as he blocked and avoided Ulric's strikes, a couple of which came within mere inches of his body. 'I'm making him take me somewhat seriously,' thought Ulric, 'But his defense is still too strong, and there's clearly more he could do but isn't. I've got one last trick, but it's still not perfected, so I'll only get one shot.'

Ulric went in for another combination of basic strikes while focusing mana to his left hand. As soon as Wilhelm swung his sword upward to block another strike, Ulric unleashed Kito Jiwald, firing off a blue orb which the old warrior sidestepped before locking blades with the knight again. "Al Jiwald!" declared Ulric as two beams of light shot out from his eyes. This took Wilhelm by surprise, slightly, as he just managed to move his head to the side, reducing the damage to a mere scratch on his cheek.

Wilhelm's response was quick and rather painful as the air around him suddenly flowed with mana before he swung a nasty horizontal strike at near full force. Ulric, moving faster than he ever had in his life, just managed to bring his sword up to block the blow. The impact was astounding as the knight was flung back across the arena, rolling like a rag doll until he hit the wall. "That's the match!" declared Rem as she crossed the arena to the other side of the training yard.

"Are you alright Ulric," said Rem as she helped him up to a sitting position.

"My arms are shaking and I've got a bit of bruising, well everywhere actually," replied Ulric as he looked at his training sword, which had been broken in half.

"I'm afraid I must apologize," said Wilhelm as he made his way over, picking up the other piece of Ulric's training sword, "These training swords were mystically reinforced to withstand powerful strikes from even the stronger imperial knights. But I forgot my own strength in a moment of exhilaration, so your injuries are my fault as well as this broken training tool."

"My injuries are not so severe as that," said Ulric as he stood with a little help from Rem, "I should still be able to make tonight's meeting with your mistress, so fear not."

"Even so," said Wilhelm, "I should at least call Felix over to have a look at you. A warrior of my experience should know how to control their own strength, whatever the circumstances."

"I greatly appreciate the offer," replied Ulric, "But Rem here can nurse injuries like this in her sleep. If you're still insistent on apologizing, though, would you care to honor our little wager?"

"Oh yes," said Wilhelm as he felt the small cut on his cheek, "I suppose you did manage a small glancing blow on me. My identity is not that special I'm afraid, I am Wilhelm Van Astrea."

"Van Astrea," said Ulric, "from the same family as Reinhard? Then that technique you used to defeat me was the same as his?"

"It should be relatively similar, yes," replied Wilhelm with his hands behind his back, "after all, I am the one who taught him the technique. You see, I am Reinhard's grandfather." Ulric was speechless for a moment before a short laughing fit erupted from him.

"The grandfather of a legendary swordsman," said Ulric, "It must be by good fortune alone that I even survived a minute against you."

"As I told Reinhard, you're too humble," said Wilhelm, "You're sword skills are not those of an amateur you simply need to expand your range of techniques. The same goes for your spells, you make good use of the few you know and if you continue to expand your abilities with mana, you'll be just as capable, if not more, than many of the imperial knights here."

"I sincerely hope so," said Ulric as he set a hand on Rem's shoulder, surprising the maid slightly, "It's my hope to protect not just her ladyship but all those who she calls friends. Otherwise I don't deserve the title of knight."

"You're taking on a difficult task there," said Wilhelm, "I hope you are able to uphold the high standards you've placed on yourself. Now I must be going I'm afraid, her ladyship is quite busy recently and I can't afford to be away too long. As for tonight, I left a letter at the front with all the information you'll need for when and where to meet. Good day sir Knight." Ulric and Rem both nodded as the old warrior turned and exited the training field.

"I suppose we'd best get these taken care of," said Ulric as he pulled off his training gloves and examined some of his bruises, "It wouldn't reflect well on Emilia if we were to meet another royal candidate in bad condition."

"Ulric," said Rem, tugging on his wrist suddenly, "Rem, would like to speak her mind for a moment before we begin healing you."

"What seems to be troubling you Rem," questioned Ulric, a hint of worry in his voice.

"Nothing is troubling me," said Rem, "I just wanted to say, I believe you've already proven yourself worthy of the title knight. I think it's good that you want to get better at being one, but just know that even if you never become as strong as Wilhelm or Reinhard, Lady Emilia has declared you her knight and will always think of you as one. And so will I."

"You are truly a kind soul Rem," said Ulric as he put a hand over hers, "but that's exactly the reason I want to keep getting better, so that I can always be the knight you see me as." Rem smiled gently at this as they proceeded out of the training yard. "And Rem," said Ulric, getting the maid's attention, "always feel free to speak your mind around me. You may work as a maid, but you and I both know you're much more than that. You've earned more respect from me than I've given to some of the knights I knew back in the Crusades."

"Of course," replied Rem with a happy smile, "In that case, Rem will have much to say about tonight's wardrobe. As representatives of Lady Emilia, we should look our best."

The Residence of Crusch Karnstein

"What was it you called this garb again?" Questioned Ulric as he adjusted the bow tie he was wearing. They'd read the letter Wilhelm had left them and found that they would actually be joining the lady Crusch for dinner. So it was decided that they needed something form fitting for such an occasion and had gone shopping. Ulric was lost on the fashion of the capital, however, and had to consult Rem on whether or not he was picking out the right kind of clothing. The final decision turned out to be an outfit resembling a blue version of an imperial knight's uniform, but with a few extra trimmings such as special cuffs and a black bow tie.

"A dress uniform," replied Rem, "It is commonly worn by imperial knights for formal occasions."

"They must not wear them very often," surmised Ulric as he pulled at the collar a little, "taking a deep breath in such a tight collar is proving a little difficult, and let's not even discuss the shoes. The only consolation I have is the fact that there's a place on the pants for me to carry my sword."

"Rem shares your discomfort," said the maid, "But for an entirely different reason. I still fail to see what harm there would have been in going in my regular clothes." It was true, she looked a bit different outside of her maid uniform. Somehow, Ulric had managed to talk her into wearing a white and blue dress that bared a slight resemblance to her maid uniform, but without the apron and the sleeves.

"Because you're a maid to Lady Emilia," said Ulric, "But tonight you are a representative as well. So it only seemed appropriate that you wear something a bit more, fetching. Besides, you look lovely in it."

"If you say so sir knight," replied Rem shyly as she looked away with a tinge of red on her face. The two proceeded to the gate of the mansion then, showing the guard their invitation before entering the grounds. As expected, there was a large courtyard with grass, gardens, and even trees on either side of the rocky path they were walking on. The residence itself was a large mansion that resembled a fort with three to four floors divided into three large sections. Despite the size of the mansion's yard, Ulric was surprised at how few guards there seemed to be, or at least he was until they met Wilhelm at the front door.

"You two made good time," said Wilhelm as he glanced at the setting sun, "If my sense of time is correct, you're actually a little early."

"It seemed unwise to keep a royal candidate waiting," replied Ulric as he and Rem took a slight bow.

"I shall inform her ladyship that you have arrived," said Wilhelm as he opened the door to allow them in, "Please wait here for a moment." The two guests nodded as the old swordsman headed up the stairs. The interior of the mansion had a white and green aesthetic with what Ulric assumed was oak wood furnishings. Everything was organized in incredible detail, a precision the knight had seen before.

"Welcome," said Crusch as she appeared at the top of the stairs. Ulric was slightly surprised to see that the royal candidate had traded her military-style attire for a black dress with a short, pink cape tied around her shoulders and black shoes with heels, "I'm glad you both could make it. Please, join me on the balcony." Ulric and Rem followed her up the stairs and out onto a balcony that offered a rather good view of the capital.

"What do you think of the view?" Questioned Crusch, "I find it to be one of my favorites during this time."

"It's most wonderful, yes," said Rem as she gazed out at the sight of the city.

"I'm afraid it does little for me," answered Ulric, "It's not that I can't appreciate the beauty of it, but I spent so many nights stationed on defensive walls looking out at the torches of enemy camps that I can think of little else when I see such a view."

"I can understand such a thing," said Crusch, "The city is a beautiful to see at night, but I prefer gazing upon the darkened sky. The air is also pleasant tonight, with a cool breeze that is perfect for sharing a drink, so please sit." The royal candidate indicated a pair of chairs around a small table next to the balcony railing. Ulric took a quick look around before nodding to Rem that it was okay to sit down. "You needn't fear any traps or tricks from me, sir knight, I did not call you here to harm you."

"I find it best to be sure," said Ulric as he and Rem took a seat, "As you are undoubtedly aware of by now, Lady Emilia has a number of enemies."

"Such is the burden of being a silver-haired half elf," said Crusch as she sat down across from them, "even if she wasn't a royal candidate, she would still face prejudice for having the appearance of the jealous witch. But I did not call you here tonight to discuss her enemies, but rather her friends, specifically you sir knight."

"If that was the case, why call for all three of us," questioned Ulric with a raised eyebrow.

"I did not wish Miss Emilia to assume I was trying to steal you away," said Crusch, "I was simply curious about some of what you said in the royal chambers a few days ago. You mentioned that you were a knight in your homeland, but seemed unfamiliar with the standards of the imperial knights. Tell me, from what land do you hail and how did you come to be here?"

"I very much doubt you would've heard of it," replied Ulric, "I hail from a land known as England, a nation in the north at least based on the maps from it. Though I find the maps from this land do not seem to show it at all whatsoever."

"Because as far as I'm aware," said Crusch, "Such a land does not exist to our current knowledge, and I have studied the maps of Lugnica for a number of years. But you don't seem to be lying about its existence either, which begs the question of how you came to be here in the first place."

"I have been seeking answers to that question myself," said Ulric, "It's rather obvious to me now that it was magic that brought me here, but whose magic and for what purpose is still something of a mystery."

"And how was it you came to be in the employ of Miss Emilia," questioned Crusch, "Naïve she may be but with a story like that, even she should have been suspicious."

"He stopped the bowel hunter from assassinating her a few weeks ago," answered Rem, "He nearly died in the process. I myself was suspicious of him at first, but he has continually proven his loyalty to Lady Emilia and to Lord Roswaal. I personally owe him for saving not just my life but the life of my sister as well."

"Hmm, it seems despite being from a different land," said Crusch, "You still possess many of the qualities found in our own knights." Crusch proceeded to pour herself a glass of some type of brandy before holding a glass up, "A toast then, to a knight's chivalry and to a worthy enemy." Ulric and Rem poured water into their glasses and held them up as well.

"Do you really consider us as such," said Ulric as the three of them clinked their glasses together.

"Lady Emilia is my rival for the throne," said Crusch as she took a drink from her glass, "And since you serve under her that puts us on opposing sides. Are you saying you do not consider me an enemy?"

"Enemies and rivals do not have to be the same thing," said Ulric, "Having spent two to three years of my life in war, I'm in no hurry to brandish my blade unless it is necessary. Not to mention, if you wanted a confrontation I doubt you'd have dressed up, unless you plan to unleash Wilhelm Van Astrea on us."

"He did have an interesting assessment of you," said Crusch, "An employer of light mana capable of wielding a sword both one and two handed. It's clear you're no amateur when it comes to the way of the blade, but you're style is like one who's fought with a shield before. I also noticed the cut you gave him before Felix could heal it. To think, my demon sword was scratched by a foreigner employing light magic."

"It was by his request that I not hold anything back," said Ulric as he laced his fingers together on the table, "The spell I scratched him with I learned from Reinhard and I had only been practicing with it for a few days. Truthfully, it is only by dumb luck or God's will that it managed to hit him at all in my opinion."

"Be that as it may," said Crusch, "Your sparring session with Wilhelm tells me that even if Lady Emilia keeps odd company, you are still worthy to be my rivals. But let us speak no more of that and enjoy the night, I'd very much like to hear more about this home country of yours if you're willing to tell the tale."

"If Rem here is willing," replied Ulric. A glance at the blue-haired oni girl told him it was fine as she nodded her head in agreement. "Then since the night has just started, I can tell a tale or two. What would you like to hear first?"

Imperial Knight's Barracks: The Next Day

Ulric went through another series of forms with the large Zweihander sword, his breathing labored from the amount of time he'd already spent training so far. Then, focusing on the mana in the atmosphere, the knight swung the blade again, swearing he could almost see the gathered aura as it released in a blast of wind. "Your improvement is quite noticeable," called Reinhard as he, Emilia and Rem entered the training yard in much the same way as the day before. Unlike the day before, the red-haired knight was carrying a bundle of armor with a sword situated on top of it.

"I certainly hope so," replied Ulric as he set down the large training sword, "According to you, this type of mana manipulation should be relatively simple in comparison to some of the other techniques you know."

"It's a basic skill, yes," said Reinhard, "my family has found many uses for it, though, and the basics have served me well throughout the years."

"Speaking of the basics," said Ulric, "Have you come to teach me anything more today?"

"I'm afraid not," said Reinhard, "My business from yesterday is taking longer than expected. I'm only here now because I went back to check on lady Felt and because I needed to give you this." The knight handed Ulric the armor and sword, "I'm sorry it took so long, but I thought you'd do well to have something a bit more resilient than ordinary equipment."

"It does seem to be of high quality," said Ulric as he set the armor down on the bench to begin examining the individual pieces, "But it doesn't look any different than the armor I ordered to be made. In fact the only real difference is that it's practically as light as the clothing I have on right now."

"The difference isn't so much physical as it is mystical," said Reinhard, "From what I saw of your armor, you seem to prefer the Teutonic style, which is a bit lighter but less protective than the full plate armor. While I'm no expert in armor myself, I do know a person or two who specialize in enchanting it, or at least improving it with magic. What you have there is lighter but just as protective, if not more than, full plate armor. The reason it took me so long to get it to you though was actually the sword."

"It is a bit more, decorated than my last sword," said Ulric as he pulled the blade out of its blue sheath. The sword was just as large as his last one with a hand and a half grip. The blade itself was polished to perfection with some type of mystical runes engraved on both sides. The guard on the sword was gold and swept upward like a valley, with a comfortable material for the handle and a circle with a cross at the end of it.

"Like your armor, it is much lighter than a regular sword," explained Reinhard, "But it will impact with all the force of a great sword and will allow you to much more efficiently gather mana from around you. It is also capable of handling a mass of mana flowing through it, allowing you to channel your light magic into the sword without worrying about turning it into dust. I trained with a sword like this when I was learning the secret technique of my family."

"You've certainly gone above and beyond," said Ulric, "I was expecting to receive a regular sword, but this," Ulric channeled some of his mana into the blade before swinging it at a practice dummy. The blade glowed in a blue light as it seemed to pass through the training target. In another moment, the dummy fell apart from a near perfect cut. "I feel as though I owe you a debt now."

"Nonsense," said Reinhard, "It was thanks to you and Lady Emilia that I was able to find lady Felt in the first place. It was also thanks to you that the bowel hunter was finally captured, which you accomplished while also foiling her assassination attempt. This armor and that sword feel like the least I can do for you."

"Then I shall treat it with care," said Ulric as he returned the sword to its sheath, "And thank you once again. I can finally adorn myself with the proper trappings of a knight once again."

"I'm certain you'll make great use of it Ulric," said Emilia, "Which is why I've decided to let you train here for a few more days, so you can get accustomed to it."

"That is greatly appreciated lady Emilia," said Ulric as he hung the sword on his hip, "But I really should get back to protecting you. I imagine there's much you and Puck still have to teach me as well."

"There is more we can teach you about the magical arts, yes," said Emilia, "But this is the only place at the moment where you can learn more about being a knight. So I've made some arrangements and have rented a dragon-drawn carriage for you and Rem. You may journey back to the mansion in another few days."

"But where shall you be?" Questioned Ulric, "You make it sound as if we're separating."

"Lord Roswaal must return to the Mathers domain," Said Emilia, "And I have my own business to attend to there as well. So we've decided to go ahead and travel back to the mansion while you take a little more time to master what Reinhard's been teaching you."

"But your ladyship," said Ulric, "You've just declared your candidacy. Enemies could be waiting for you on the trip back. I can't simply stay here and-." Ulric was stopped as Emilia raised her hand.

"You've done more than enough for now," said Emilia, "And I should be safe while traveling with Lord Roswaal. We won't be separated for long, and I wish to completely pay my debt to you for saving me yet again. So please, as my knight I'd like you to take the necessary time to sharpen your skills and to enjoy the capital a little since you were robbed of the chance while saving my life. I will also be leaving Rem with you. Should a problem occur, she should be able to sense it through the bond with her sister."

"If," Ulric struggled to say the words, "If that is what you wish your ladyship. I shall continue to sharpen my skills here for another few days and then return to you, an even better knight than before."

"And don't forget to enjoy yourself," said Emilia, "It's been my fault on both occasions that you've not been able see the wonders of the capital. So please, try to relax a little."

"I shall attempt to do so," said Ulric, "But know that should even the slightest hint of trouble arise, do not hesitate to call upon me and I shall come, sword in hand."

"I don't doubt it sir knight," said Emilia with a sweet smile as she bowed, "So for now I bid you farewell, and look forward to our next meeting." And from Emilia's point of view, it was a short time before she saw the knight again. But from Ulric's point of view, it would be nothing short of arduous.

 **Ulric has now met all but one of the royal candidates, and the lines have been drawn. But a force far more daunting awaits all of them further down the road. In other news, hello everyone, I hope you enjoyed this latest chapter and once again my apologies for not having an episode of Team WA out this week, but it was time for a Christmas break not just for the show but for me as well. But fear not as Team WA will resume next week, so for now feel free to leave a comment or review about what you liked/disliked about this chapter or if you've got any cool ideas to help make the story better. Drop by next time as Ulric and Rem make their way back to Roswaal's mansion to confront a terrifying new threat. 'Til then, have a happy new year everyone.**


	19. The Followers of the Jealous Witch

**The Followers of the Jealous Witch**

Imperial Knight's Barracks

The sound of clashing wood filled the training grounds as Ulric and Reinhard traded blows. At least that's what Reinhard called it. In truth, Ulric was attacking with every form, strike, feint and technique he knew only to have it blocked by Reinhard. It was truly instructive but also truly frustrating as no matter how much mana Ulric was able to gather for a strike, his red-haired instructor was able to gather twice as much in half the time. "You're mana gathering is improving," said Reinhard, "But you need to direct it better."

"Just gathering it is intensive," said Ulric as he continued to hammer away at Reinhard's seemingly unbreakable defense. "Is there a certain way I should be directing it besides simply releasing it?"

"Think about it as a transfer of energy," replied Reinhard as he deflected a low strike then moved his head out of the way of Ulric's fist, "In an intensive fight, you'll have little time to gather a large amount of mana. A good way to combat this is to continually bring in and release mana, letting it flow through your body and immediately out of your weapon or limb. I used much the same method against Elsa when I fought her barehanded for a moment."

"Like so!" Exclaimed Ulric when he struck hard with a horizontal strike, this one actually causing Reinhard to strain ever so slightly to stop it fully. "I'm guessing the trick is to simply bring the mana in without storing it. Let it flow in and then right back out."

"Now you're getting it," said Reinhard as they finally lowered their swords. "As you well know, the more you use your gate, the stronger it will become. In time, you'll be able to gather more mana, as well as increase the speed of your gathering. But with this method, you'll be able to use more powerful strikes consecutively and more quickly, though they will be a bit less powerful than when you gather and store it."

"A quick, glancing blow can win a fight just as easily as a powerful blow," said Ulric, "At least when it's used correctly. I'm still a far cry from wielding mana as effortlessly as you."

"I put quite a bit of effort into wielding mana," said Reinhard, "I've just gotten good at keeping a calm face when I do so. The years of training helped too."

"With a grandfather that goes by the name 'Demon Sword,' I'm not surprised," said Ulric, "It's quite difficult for one to live up to the name of a legendary family."

"Most of my legend comes from having a scratched sword," said Reinhard, "It was by a dragon, yes, but one doesn't have to be a legend to survive a fight with one."

"Well you're the only person I've ever met who has survived such a thing," said Ulric, "But scratched sword or no, you're a legend by my standards."

"As always you're too kind Sir Ulric," said Reinhard as he set his practice sword back on the rack of weapons, "But I do appreciate the compliment. Now I have some errands to attend to, unfortunately, and my lady undoubtedly requires my presence for something by now. So let us call it a day, shall we."

"If you so insist," replied Ulric as he set his sword on the rack as well, "Now that I think of it, I imagine Rem might need a small bit of help in the market today."

"You are a lucky knight to have such a beauty waiting for you," said Reinhard, "I almost feel bad keeping you two separated."

"Rem is more than capable without me," replied Ulric, "Truthfully, she likely doesn't need to wait on me for a single thing, but I'll offer a hand to her anyway because it's the proper thing not just for a knight but for a man to do."

"As you say sir knight," said Reinhard, "I shall see you tomorrow then, and do take good care of your friend." Ulric nodded as the two of them departed the training area of the barracks.

The Capital's Market District

Ulric was as good as his word. When he returned, Rem informed him that they were indeed low on a few ingredients for dinner that evening. What surprised Ulric, though, was that she accepted him coming along with her. The knight assumed at the time that she merely needed company for the errand, given that the last few times she'd been to the market district it had been with either Lord Roswaal or Emilia.

"You seem a bit happier today," Ulric observed as they walked along the market district.

"I was simply thinking," said Rem, "Perhaps I should buy some more clothing while we're here. Since Lady Emilia is running for the throne, she may actually call upon the both of us again to be her envoys. And you said I looked nice in the dress I was wearing the other night."

"And I meant every word," said Ulric as he patted the girl's head, "You and Ram are skilled in far more than any maid I've ever encountered. If anything I should treat the both of you like fellow warriors given that not so long ago you protected me from mabeasts."

"I was simply fulfilling my duty of protecting Lord Roswaal's domain," said Rem, "Such a thing is what is expected from a maid."

"Not where I come from," said Ulric, "where I come from a maid simply filled the roll of cleaning their master's homes and caring for their needs. They were never expected to fight anyone, that's what guards and knights like me were for. So yes you may fulfill the work of a maid most of the time, but in my opinion you are much more than that and both your lord and Lady Emilia would do well to recognize it." Rem simply averted her gaze as a light blush formed on her cheeks, not sure how to answer the knight's praise.

It was then that a local bulletin set up for the crowd to see caught Ulric's attention. "Will you excuse me for a moment, there's something I'd like to investigate." Rem nodded her head as she headed over to the appa merchant. Ulric made his way through the gathered crowd to see what the interest was. There, hanging on the board were illustrations as well as information on each of the royal candidates, including Emilia.

"So you're interested in the royal selection as well," said a familiar voice as the green-haired appa merchant slid in next to Ulric. "I'm surprised, from what I remember you're not even from around here."

"No, but my fate is intertwined with it now," said Ulric, "And so is everyone else's in this kingdom."

"That's true," said the appa merchant as he put a hand to his chin, "We've got five candidates to choose from, and we've gotta live with whatever the new ruler has in mind for us. Though if you ask me, they're plain crazy for even considering the half-elf there, let alone allowing her to be a candidate."

"She was found to be worthy through the same magical means that selected the other candidates," replied Ulric, "Are you saying you've no faith in your own system of selection?"

"It's not that," replied the appa merchant, "It just seems pointless because no one will support a relative of the witch."

"Does anyone have any actual proof that she is a relative," questioned Ulric, "Has she shown any indication whatsoever that she has even the slightest thing to do with the witch?"

"Whether she does or not won't really matter," said the appa merchant, "Because of the Jealous Witch, no one wants anything to do with half elves. They think they're all dangerous."

"I'm surprised you'd have that same opinion," said Ulric with a quirked eyebrow, "If you'll recall, your daughter was lost not so long ago. I helped bring her back to you yes, but the one who insisted we try while everyone else ignored your crying child, was her." Ulric pointed to Emilia's picture.

"Wait, you mean that broke girl you were walking around with, was her?" Questioned the merchant with a look of utter surprise on his face.

"Quite right," said Ulric as he turned to the merchant, "A half elf who had far more pressing matters than helping a lost little girl, took the time to get her back to you. Since I'm not from here there's still a lot I don't know about this jealous witch, so I have only my own eyes, my heart, and my faith I can trust. That's why I refer to her as Lady Emilia now, because she saved my life, because despite the unwarranted hatred of the people she still wishes to do the right thing. No, she is not perfect in every way, but I can say for certain that she is the farthest thing from this jealous witch you all seem so eager to compare her too."

"Well I mean, she could still be," the appa merchant tried to think of something to say.

"Even if she was a relative of the witch," said Ulric, "What sort of evil has anything to gain by helping complete strangers and asking for nothing in return? It's all well and good that you fear the witch, but do not let fear drive your decisions, I've seen what that can do to a person and it is a terrible sight. You and everyone else in this kingdom have too much riding on this selection to not consider every candidate equally, good day." Ulric gave a slight bow then as he walked out of the crowd and back to Rem.

"What brought that performance on," questioned Rem as they walked back to the apartment.

"I thought it best to simply make my loyalties known," said Ulric, "When I decided to support Emilia, not a night goes by that I don't pray I'm supporting the right person, and each day my prayers are answered in the form of her ladyship showing her kindness in one way or another. Make no mistake, I swore an oath to her and I will uphold that oath to my dying breath or until she decides to release me from it. But it's encouraging to know I'm serving someone who considers the needs of others, 'For whoever wishes to be first among you must be last and the servant of all.'"

"That seems contradictory," Rem pointed out, "A person cannot be both at the same time."

"It is Mark 9 verse 35, and it has a deeper meaning," Said Ulric, "One I never truly realized until recently. It means that one in power is actually a servant to the ones below them. In my home, the most revered kings in legend were the ones who insured the happiness of their own people. It is my belief that Emilia is capable of being such a ruler if she is given the chance, even if she is a little naïve about certain issues."

"Well you did say she wasn't perfect," said Rem as she suddenly circled her arm around Ulric's, "But I think I can see your point."

"Uh, what are you doing Rem," questioned a surprised Ulric.

"I'm letting everyone else in the market know that I support you," said Rem with a smile as they walked along.

Imperial Knight's Barracks: The Next Day

'Continuous flow,' thought Ulric as he swung the zweihander training sword again, 'just keep the mana flowing as fast as possible.' It was a strange feeling, constantly keeping it in the back of his mind, the image of mana flowing through his gate. But the results were becoming more and more noticeable as the air around Ulric continued to grow heavy with mana, allowing his swings, the movements of his arms and even the stamping of his foot as he switched stances to become noticeably loud and forceful. With a final swing, Ulric made a slight misstep and struck the ground.

The surprise, however, was that the sword actually managed to crack the stone underneath his feet from the release of the mana he'd been flowing through his body. 'I'm finally getting somewhere,' thought Ulric as he picked the sword up and placed it back on the rack, his breathing labored not just from the training but from moving so much mana so quickly through his body. 'It's unfortunate that Reinhard and Felt, no, Lady Felt are having to meet with a few parties outside of the city, I would've liked the knight's opinion on how I'm progressing.'

"Sir Ulric," said Rem as she walked into the training area, "I'm very sorry, but Rem must interrupt your training."

"Has something happened?" Questioned Ulric as he picked up his new sword and slid it into his belt.

"Something indeed has I believe," said Wilhelm, walking in behind Rem, "Lady Crusch has the other details." Ulric didn't need to ask anything further as he proceeded with them to Crusch's mansion. Once there, they found the royal candidate at a desk in her office with Felix standing behind her.

"Ah, thank you for coming sir Knight," said Crusch as she set down some of the papers she'd been reading, "I'm sorry to have called you here so suddenly, but as you've heard an urgent matter has arisen."

"What's so troubling that you felt the need to call upon us," questioned Ulric as he rested a hand on his sword belt.

"It's not trouble for me," said Crusch, "But it is something I thought you should be made aware of. You see I've received reports of troubling movement within the Mathers domain, which you no doubt know is Roswaal's territory."

"What kind of troubling movement," asked the knight, "A large gathering of beasts, the sudden appearance of strange individuals, the presence of armed men?"

"I'm afraid I have very little information on that front," replied Crusch, "Only that it's near Roswaal's mansion."

"I too have felt something off recently," said Rem, "Just this morning, I felt a presence through the link I share with my sister. It was vague but unmistakably foul."

"Ny-ow that is troubling," said Felix in his usual cat voice, "And from what we kny-ow the whole domain is on high alert."

"So we know one thing without a doubt then," said Ulric as he crossed his arms, "Another enemy of Emilia and Roswaal is at the very least present."

"It was a situation which we had foreseen," said Crusch, "From the moment Margrave declared his support for a half elf, it was only a matter of time before their enemies increased."

"Then you have my thanks for bringing this news to us," said Ulric with a bow as he turned to leave, "We need to head out right away Rem."

"You should take care sir knight," said Crusch as she laced her fingers together in front of her, "Once you leave, it is very likely we'll be enemies the next time we meet."

"That is entirely up to you Lady Crusch," replied Ulric with his hand on the door, "Until then, I pray for your good health." With that, Ulric and Rem exited the room, leaving a somewhat confused Felix.

"He's a strange one," said Felix as he scratched one of his cat ears, "We basically declare ourselves hostile and he says have a ny-ice time."

"He is a knight, a boy, no a man of action," said Crusch, "It's possible the only way I'd convince him we were enemies is to actually brandish my own sword against him. But I suppose I'm in no hurry for such a thing either." 'Good luck sir knight,' she thought.

The two of them packed rather quickly, taking plenty of essentials which they loaded onto the carriage. Ulric also took this chance to don his armor, which was a Teutonic set with coat tails hanging behind his knees, as well as the traditional gauntlets and greaves. To Ulric's pleasant surprise, the armor also had a white, cloth overlay with a blue version of his family crest under a large blue cross that was mirrored on the back. The last piece was a helmet with a rounded head and a visor on the front.

"Your new armor looks impressive," complimented Rem as he stepped out onto the street with his sword hanging from his side and his helmet under his arm.

"Let us hope it does all that Reinhard says it can," replied Ulric as he checked over the helmet one final time, "We may be looking at a difficult fight ahead."

"It will be difficult enough getting there quickly," said Rem, "A fog has covered the road, it's produced by the white whale."

"How long will an alternate route take?" Questioned Ulric as he climbed up next to Rem on the driver's seat. He'd read up a little on the white whale during his studies at the mansion. From what he'd gathered, the beast was massive and capable of swallowing entire wagons whole. He wanted to get to the mansion as fast as possible, but fighting a beast such as the white whale would insure they wouldn't arrive at all.

"Rem is sorry to say, but I believe it will take two and a half days," replied the maid, "Any other route will either take just as long or longer."

"And if we continually switch drivers," questioned Ulric, "One sleeps while the other drives?"

"We'll go a little faster," said Rem, "But eventually the land dragon will need to rest."

"Then we'd best get started," said Ulric, "I'll trust your judgement since you know our dragon's limitations better than I do."

"I'll do my best sir knight," Said Rem as she pulled the reins, signaling for the dragon to depart. They rode for several minutes before they finally crossed the city gates. Once Ulric was sure that they were out of sight of the city, he spoke again.

"Tell me," said Ulric, "This sense you share with your sister, are you communicating with her right now?"

"I'm not receiving anything from her at the moment," replied Rem, "Our shared sense is mainly controlled consciously, but should something more extreme, like Ram being frightened, happen then I can feel it from our sense. While I don't specifically know what happened this morning, it was likely something beyond my sister's control."

"Then she let us know by accident," said Ulric with a hand to his chin, "I hope she's at least brought this to the attention of Roswaal and Emilia. Your sister is not easily frightened, and with that fog on the road, it's possible any regular messenger they tried to send to us never made it. Of course, there's also the possibility that Emilia thinks Roswaal, Beatrice and your sister will be enough, in which case I may need to make an apology when we arrive if that does turn out to be true."

"I doubt Lady Emilia will fault you for your concern," said Rem, "as her knight, you're fulfilling your duty by investigating all possible threats to her, Just like I am fulfilling my duty to Lord Roswaal by providing her with assistance."

"Then let us hope a false alarm is all it is," said Ulric as they continued on down the road. As they rode, Ulric viewed the ever-changing country side, his eyes alert for anything amiss or unusual. It took a bit of convincing by Rem before he finally closed his eyes for a little while, but even then he was aware, opening his eyes with his hand hovering over his sword at the slightest hint of worry or surprise from Rem. Finally, he was awoken by the maid to take over driving for her so that she could rest her eyes for a while.

But what surprised Ulric was instead of climbing into the back of the carriage, the blue-haired girl nuzzled her head against his lap as she moved to make herself comfortable. "Uh, Rem," said Ulric, a bit lost for words at the maid's behavior, "I can't imagine my chainmail being the best place to rest your head. You'd do much better in the carriage itself."

"Rem is fine here," yawned the maid as she shifted her position a little more, "being like this, will help Rem sleep better."

"As you say," Ulric replied with a sigh as he adjusted his grip on the reins before glancing at his riding companion, noting a contented smile on her face. 'She really is beautiful when she sleeps, it's a shame she's not able to smile more often.' The knight chanced stroking her hair a little, being careful not to awaken her as they continued to ride for several hours. Before they knew it, night had fallen and the road became much less visible beyond the light of their lanterns.

"I think we should probably stop for the night," said Rem as she woke back up, "we've made good time, but the land dragon is getting tired and the trail gets dangerous at this hour."

"Are you sure we shouldn't try to go at least a little further," questioned Ulric, "Not just Emilia but also your sister is in possible danger right now."

"I've felt nothing else from our link during the ride," said Rem, "If something had harmed her I would've felt it to a degree. Not to mention, we'll be in even worse shape if the land dragon collapses on us."

"It's frustrating," said Ulric as he pulled the wagon to the side of the trail, "But as we discussed, you know these beasts better than I."

"Then as we discussed," said Rem, "The driver will be the first to sleep while the other keeps watch." Ulric merely sighed at that as they hopped off the carriage and unhooked the land dragon. Ulric was still a little wary of them when they weren't pulling a carriage, but the one Emilia picked out for them seemed to be even tempered and went to sleep almost as soon as it found a comfortable spot while Rem and Ulric set up the camp and got a small fire going. The knight actually envied the dragon a bit as he was finding it hard to fall asleep.

"You should get some rest Sir Knight," said Rem as she leaned against the land dragon while keeping an eye on the surrounding area, "It won't do to have the next look out falling asleep."

"Forgive me," replied Ulric, "I've always found it hard to sleep when faced with too many unknowns. In truth, I feel rather embarrassed that you seem to possess a cooler head than me."

"You needn't feel embarrassed in the slightest," said Rem, "I know you're worried for everyone back at the mansion. I have the luxury of sharing a link with my sister and that helps keep me calm, though I may have a way to help you as well." Rem extended her hand and placed it on Ulric's forehead. In another moment, her hand began to glow and release a very calming sensation into the knight.

"What sort of magic is this?" Questioned Ulric, "It feels like your healing magic."

"It is in a way," said Rem, "sister used to do this for me when I had nightmares. It always gave me pleasant dreams."

"Just be sure to wake me if anything happens," said Ulric before his eyes fell closed and his breathing became more even. 'I know it's unwise to let my personal feelings interfere with my duties,' thought Rem, 'but I couldn't help but feel happy being alone with you like this. You're the one who taught me that I have a place in this world and even though I know the others may be in danger, I still wish this time we have together could continue. Please forgive my selfishness, but I can't help but admire a remarkable person like you. Sleep well my knight.'

The Next Afternoon

They started out early that day and repeated the process of switching drivers every couple of hours to keep from stopping too often. Rem was pleased to find that she'd apparently estimated high when she said it would take two and a half days, though much of that was due to them pushing the land dragon when it was deemed necessary. But soon enough, they found themselves on the familiar road which would eventually take them to the mansion, though something seemed different about it this time around.

"Does anything about the road make you feel uneasy right now?" Questioned Ulric as he let his hands fall to rest on his sword. "Something seems off about it."

"It's true," said Rem in a quiet voice, "the air seems tense and I haven't heard the sound of a single animal." Ulric's eyes began scanning the trees around them. He knew this feeling, someone or something was lurking around the forest and likely had their eyes on them.

But something else caught his attention as Rem suddenly gasped in pain before clutching her chest. "Rem, what's wrong," said Ulric as he put a hand on the maid to steady her.

"I just felt sister, she's in danger!" Exclaimed Rem as she snapped the reins, causing the land dragon to break out in a run. "We need to hurry, something could be happening right now!" Ulric grabbed his helmet to keep it from falling off of the wagon while using his other hand to hold on as they continued their mad dash down the trail. But their unseen foe was one step ahead of them as the flash of a blade severed the head of their land dragon. The next thing they knew, the wagon was toppling over, throwing them both off.

Ulric managed to hit the ground and roll, donning his helmet and drawing his sword in two swift movements. Rem, being the more acrobatic, managed to flip in the air and land on her feet as she produced her flail from practically nowhere. The two stood back to back as a large number of figures in purple robes and masks resembling executioner's hoods seemed to appear out of thin air, quickly surrounding them. Their most notable feature was the red eye symbol in the center of their masks.

"Witch Cultists!" sneered Rem as her face twisted into an enraged expression and her glowing horn sprouted from her head, "How dare you come here!"

"Wait a moment Rem," said Ulric with his hand raised, "Still your temper long enough for me to ask a question."

"Ask it quickly," said Rem as her grip tightened on her weapon, "You're the only reason I haven't ripped their throats out yet." The witch cultists drew closer until Ulric spoke up.

"What do you want cultists?" Questioned Ulric as his eyes darted from one cult member to the next, "We have no quarrel with you. If you have business with the lord of the domain, we can take you to them. If it is violence you intend, however, we will not come quietly."

"We have come for the one bearing the great witch's blessings," said the nearest cult member to them as he pointed at Ulric, "You, who wear the armor of a knight."

"If you're referring to this foul stench that is apparently clinging to me," said Ulric, "I haven't the slightest clue why it was bestowed upon me. But say I do agree to go along with you, what is to become of my companion?"

"We have no use for her," said the cult member, "Our presence in this area cannot be known, however, so her only option is to either join us along with you, or face the judgement of the sin archbishop."

"Archbishop you say," said Ulric as his eyes narrowed under his helmet, "And what is the cult's purpose here?"

"Our prize lies within the walls of the Roswaal mansion," said the cult member, "Come with us and take part in the ordeal."

"I see," said Ulric as he extended his left hand, "Then this is my answer." A fist-sized orb shot out of Ulric's hand and blasted apart the head of the cult member they'd been speaking with. After that, time seemed to slow as the rest of the cult members all closed in on them. Ulric quickly gathered his mana and swung his sword while Rem swung her flail. The result, any of the cult members within striking distance of their weapons was torn apart, leaving a circle of blood around the two of them as they began the fight of their lives.

Ulric's sword glowed blue as he gathered his mana, slicing through one body after another, seeming to meet little resistance along the way as he employed every move he learned from Reinhard and Wilhelm to attack, parry and counter the numerous blades. In addition, Ulric would mix in the occasional kick or punch whenever one of the cult members tried to come in between his strikes. Behind him, Rem was performing her own dance of death as she twirled and spun, swinging her flail through one, two, sometimes three cult members at once while mixing in her own punches and kicks against the ones who did manage to get close. It was a blood bath for nearly a full minute before other cult members began attacking from a distance.

It began with a few throwing knives impacting against Ulric's armor, none of them managed to damage him thanks to his armor, but Rem wasn't as lucky as one of the knives managed to tear into her shoulder slightly. "Rem," said Ulric as he activated Jiwald to deflect a few more of the knives with his sword before catching one and flinging it back into the head of one of the cult members.

"I'm fine," said Rem as she swung her flail and killed three more cult members, "But we still need to get to the mansion."

"Lead the way," said Ulric as he impaled another cult member which he tossed into a few other approaching enemies before ending Jiwald. He and Rem hurried down the path, with more throwing knives bouncing off of Ulric's back chainmail. But the cult members seemed to appear from the very shadows themselves as they again closed in around them. Suddenly, a few fireballs came racing towards them.

"Huma!" Yelled Rem as she raised her hand and generated a blue barrier around herself. The impacts were devastating, however, as the barrier dissipated, revealing that her sleeve had been blown off and her arm was badly burned. More fireballs came shooting towards them as Ulric pushed Rem out of the way. While he was fast enough to avoid most of the fireballs, one still managed to strike him in the side, burning off a part of his cloth covering while the impact definitely bruised him.

The cult members took this opportunity to try and close in again, only for the two leading members to receive violent punches in the gut as the two fighters released their respective spells, sending out spears of water and orbs of light to blast apart even more of the approaching members. 'We can't stop here,' thought Ulric as he and Rem pushed past the pain of their bodies and kept running, cutting down any cult member that got too close while moving as quickly as they could to avoid any more projectile attacks. But the closer they got to the mansion, the more intense the rain of knives and fire became. Then, just as the mansion came into view over the large hill they'd been climbing, so too did the most intense rain of fireballs yet.

Ulric reacted instinctively and moved to cover Rem while the maid generated another barrier with Huma. Despite that, the resulting explosion tore into them as they both yelled out in agony. As this spectacle took place, the cult members waited for the screaming to die down before moving in, much more slowly this time given the loss to their numbers from earlier. The scorched earth before them was also littered with a few pieces of cloth and armor with two bodies in the center that appeared lifeless. Until one of the bodies glowed brightly, blinding the cult members for a moment as the nearest ones were again obliterated by a glowing sword and the vicious swings of a flail.

The other cult members that were lucky enough to get out of reach regrouped and looked upon their foes. Rem's clothing was torn and bloody with her body covered in numerous burns. Ulric was in a similar state, having lost a few pieces of his chainmail and gauntlets, and his helmet was too dented for him to see out of as he pulled it off and discarded it. Despite this, they still continued to walk forward with their weapons raised as the cult again readied their weapons. 'So here I am once more,' thought Ulric, 'In a one-sided fight for not only my life but the lives of my comrades, perhaps not as much has changed with my arrival in this world as I thought.'

The knight glanced at his blue-haired companion, noting her labored breathing. 'Then again, I've got something else to fight for this time around.' Rem had no fear in her eyes, only rage and determination, and Ulric's eyes mirrored this as they approached the edge of the cult members surrounding them. Then without warning, the cult members sheathed their knives and stepped back.

"What are they-," Ulric started to ask before the two of them were suddenly forced down by what felt like invisible hands. 'What's going on,' thought Ulric, 'I can hardly move. What have they done?' The knight didn't have but a moment to ponder this as the cult members rushed forward and seized them, their bodies sinking into the shadows of the ground as they drug both Ulric and Rem with them.

 **The greatest threat to the Mathers domain and to Emilia stands revealed as the cult of the Jealous Witch finally reveals their existence. But what do they intend for Ulric and Rem? Between you and me it's not gonna be pretty. In other news, hello again everyone I hope you've all had a good week and enjoyed this latest chapter. As always, feel free to leave a comment or review about what you liked/disliked or if you've got any neat ideas you'd think would make the story better. Be sure to stop in next time as Ulric and Rem meet the sin archbishop of Sloth. 'Til then.**


	20. Oath Upon A Snowy Grave

**Oath Upon A Snowy Grave**

1177: Europe

A young Ulric stood on a dirt field surrounded by grassland on one side and a large cottage behind him. The young knight in training was dressed in the clothing of a squire as he held a wooden shield in his left hand and a wooden sword in his right. The man that stood opposite him wielded his own wooden sword, but no shield as he deepened his stance a little. He wasn't a necessarily tall man but he was a bit wide, with brownish black hair and a well-trimmed beard. He wore a padded garb meant for training, though it was a bit weathered from a few years of use.

Ulric studied his stance for another moment before rushing forward, swinging his sword low but wide while keeping his shield above his head. But the man was surprisingly quick for his size as he blocked low then quickly sidestepped, throwing Ulric off balance with a knee to his shield. Ulric struck back with another horizontal strike, which was again blocked as his opponent managed to grab his shield and yank on it, pulling him off his feet and dislodging him from the protective equipment. "Good," said the man as Ulric rolled to his feet, "Aiming for my root in an attempt to keep me off-balance. But remember not to be too reliant on your shield, you never know when it might be torn from you in the midst of battle."

The man tossed the shield aside in order to illustrate his point. "What will you do now that you've lost it?" Ulric quickly assumed a two handed grip as he rushed in again, feigning a strike at his opponent's head before changing the angle and striking low again. But the man saw it coming as he stepped back and blocked low. The squire quickly shifted his blade and struck upwards, locking his blade with the man's. "A good start, but you can't always overpower an opponent," said the man as he forced Ulric back and began a series of his own swings, most of which were high but still powerful blows.

The knight-in-training was forced back by the blows raining down on him as he was just barely able to block each one. When he was about backed to the edge of the dirt plot, he saw an opening as his opponent was about to bring down a powerful vertical blow and struck forward with a straight jab of his wooden blade. But the man was just the slightest bit faster as he sidestepped once again, causing Ulric to stumble forward as he was knocked in the back of the head by his opponent's handle. Ulric hit the ground and rolled over to see the tip of the training weapon mere inches from his throat. "Not a bad counter, but remember to keep yourself balanced at all times and always be wary when an opponent who's attacking relentlessly stops without warning, they might be deliberately leading you into a trap."

"I'll do my best to remember that father," replied Ulric as the man withdrew his weapon and helped his son up off the ground.

"You'd better, there are seldom second chances on the battlefield," said his father as they walked back towards the cottage.

"Father, I have a question," said Ulric, trying to put words to the thoughts on his mind.

"Well let's hope I have an answer for it," replied his father with a small grin.

"Why did you return from the second Crusade?" Questioned Ulric, "Many knights are still fighting in the Holy Land, but you came back?"

"You've seen the scar on my left arm," replied his father as he rolled up his sleeve to reveal the mark he'd gotten from a spear, "Well it was more than just a simple wound. You see, even after it healed I could not hold a shield properly and it was too unsteady for me to use a bow either. Now such a thing wouldn't have deterred me, until I got the message that you had been born."

"You returned from the Crusades because of me?" Questioned Ulric.

"Well I also was given an order to return by the lord of the manor on which we live," his Father clarified, "But even if he hadn't, the timing of my injury and your birth. It just seemed like a sign that perhaps I was in the wrong place, and so I returned home."

"And with quite the plunder," said A blond-haired woman standing in the doorway. She was a fair woman whose features were slightly worn with age, wearing a blue dress with an apron over it. "His return allowed us to clear any other debts we had and insured we wouldn't go hungry for some time."

"I will admit, visiting righteous judgement upon heathens is invigorating," said Ulric's father, "But the plunder for the victors can be quite astounding as well."

"Did you only become part of the Crusades for the plunder?" Questioned a confused Ulric.

"That was only secondary," said Ulric's father as he put a hand on his shoulder, "What I wanted was to see the holy land that God had given to the Israelites and fight to keep it in the hands of the rightful followers of the Lord. For a time I was able to accomplish such a thing, but alas, with my injury and my family being here, I can no longer do so."

"Then I'll do it," said Ulric as he held his wooden sword up, "I'll learn as fast as I can and become a knight. Then I'll go join our fellow knights in Jerusalem and defend it from our enemies!"

"Well with luck this Crusade will be over long before that," said his mother, "But you do realize your father will have to train you much harder if you wish to be a knight going off on a Crusade."

"Then I'll work even harder than I was before," declared Ulric, "I'll make you both proud!"

Unknown Cave: Present Day

Ulric awoke with a start as his eyes darted around the area he was in. It didn't take him long to figure out that he must've been in a cave of sorts, given the rock solid ground, lack of light and the dampness in the air. But what troubled him was what he did not see. No matter where he looked, Rem wasn't there. As the knight sat up to better orient himself, he noticed that he had a pair of shackles, one on each wrist with a chain leading to the wall behind him.

"Ah at last, you're finally awake," said a somewhat high-pitched voice that made the knight's skin crawl. Looking up, Ulric finally noticed that he wasn't alone. A number of the witch cultists they'd encountered earlier stood around him and at the front stood a man that barely appeared to be human. "This is most interesting," said the man, "Tell me, how is it one such as you were able to receive such love from the great witch?" His skin was beyond pale and his short, bowel cut hair was a dark green.

Like the other cultists, he wore purple robes, but unlike the others he had a type of yamaka hat on his head. "Are you perhaps Pride," the man questioned further.

"Who are you," Ulric finally said as he remembered that he was indeed in enemy territory.

"Oh yes, yes, yes of course my sincerest apologies, I forgot I haven't even introduced myself," said the man animatedly as he shifted from one position to the other, almost like he was flailing about until he bowed in a customary fashion. "My name is Betelgeuse Romanee' Conti, sin archbishop of Sloth."

"Sin archbishop," repeated Ulric, "There is no such thing. By what authority do you even claim a title meant for a church?!"

"Surely you'd know, yes one who has received such love from the witch must know," replied Betelgeuse, "We of the witches cult have all received our gospel and praise our loyalty to the great witch herself! Are you saying you have not received our holy gospel?!" The clearly mad priest slid a black book out of his robes. "It is to these words that we all owe our salvation, to see that you have not acquired yours is so very, slothful."

"I have received but one gospel in my life," said Ulric, "The gospel of the Lord God Almighty. I know no other gospel and even should I cease being a knight I will bend my knee to no other gospel."

"But how can that be true?!" Questioned the sin archbishop, "I know not of this God and even had I heard, how could his gospel compare to the great witch's love!"

"Because your witch could only drain half the world," said Ulric, "My God made this world, the universe and everything in it! He has no equal now or ever!"

"Oh this is so tragic, yes so tragic, tragic, tragic!" exclaimed Betelgeuse as he bent and contorted his body, dragging his hands across his face. "The witch has shown you such love yet you return none of it! Why, why, why, why, why?!"

"ENOUGH!" yelled Ulric, "There's no point in debating philosophy with a madman. Tell me, why are you here and where is Rem?!"

"You should know that already," replied Betelgeuse, "The time of the ordeal approaches. We need the half elf girl to give her life for the great witch! As for Rem, hmmm, who is this Rem. Let's see, Rem, Rem, Rem, oh yes I'd completely forgotten." The madman snapped his fingers, signaling one of the other cultists to step forward. "What was it you did with the maid girl again, bring her here?" The cult member nodded his head before raising his hand in a signal of his own.

A shadow suddenly moved next to the knight as a body suddenly dropped from it. Ulric didn't need a second look to know it was Rem as her eyes starred back up at him. Her arms and legs were clearly broken and her body was covered in more cuts and bruises than he could count. All the deaths he'd seen in the Crusades still couldn't prepare him for this sight as he reached out with trembling hands, his voice suddenly gone as he cradled the blue-haired girl's head in his arms. Then it came, a howl of anguish the knight hadn't uttered since he saw his first friend in the Crusades die.

"Oh how tragic, yes tragic, tragic, tragic," said Betelgeuse, his tone not changing in the slightest as he bent backwards with his hand on his head, "Did you know she was an oni? It cost a good number of us to finally finish her you see. To think you actually felt something for this little one, does a human love a demon? Is this why despite your ardent hatred for our gospel that you are still loved by the great one? Oh such a mystery, such a mystery indeed that it makes my brain tremble!"

Ulric didn't answer as the madman continued to rant, his focus still on the maid as the words spoken to him seemed far away. "Oh but how I abhor being ignored," said Betelgeuse as he began chewing on his own finger, "After sparing your life and showing you hospitality, have you nothing more to say to me now?!" The sin archbishop approached and grabbed Ulric's head, forcing the knight to look at him. "Now look me in the eye and tell me, will you get in the way of the ordeal?"

"Al Jiwald," whispered Ulric in response. In the next instant, beams of light erupted from Ulric's eyes and burned the face of the archbishop who couldn't move away in time.

"AAAAAAAAAARGH!" screamed the madman as he frantically clutched at his face while two of his followers moved in to keep him from falling backwards. A few more cultists moved in, likely about to finish the knight off before the sound of his laughter gave them pause.

"Hahahaha," Ulric laughed, "I'd thought this fire in my soul had gone out. I'd come to believe that my arrival here meant that my time as a crusader had come to an end. But perhaps it was the other way around, perhaps I was brought to this land BECAUSE IT NEEDS A CRUSADER!" A glowing orb of light appeared in Ulric's left hand then as the knight stood up, supporting Rem's body with an arm around her waist.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Questioned Betelgeuse whose face was now badly burned, "If you keep drawing in mana like that, you might destroy your own body!"

"And hopefully much of this cave," said Ulric as he raised the ever expanding orb up and aimed at the ceiling over the rest of the cultist's heads. "Hear a word from my gospel now: 'Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil!' DEUS VULT!" The knight fired the orb then, singeing the palm of his hand and parts of his arm in the process, and watched as it impacted against the ceiling of the cave. The resulting blast knocked several stones loose from the cavern, causing them to rain down on any of the cultists who weren't quick enough to disappear into the shadows.

The knight stood and watched for several moments, half-expecting to be crushed himself as the rain of stone finally died down. Silence reigned then as the cult failed to reappear. 'Now to do something about these chains,' thought Ulric wearily when a small light suddenly caught his attention. Looking down, the knight saw that the spot on Rem's head where her horn should be was glowing faintly as the maid's eyes seemed to regain some small semblance of life.

"E-el," the blue-haired oni tried to say, lifting her right hand weakly towards Ulric.

"Rem, don't try to speak," said Ulric as he kneeled down and held her in his arms so that she could see his face. In all honesty, despite everything he'd seen in this land so far, he was still amazed that she was even the slightest bit alive in her condition.

"H-huma," whispered Rem, causing some of the blood on Ulric's hands to leap up and slice the shackles on his wrists to pieces.

"Damn it, don't waste your energy on me," said Ulric as he picked up the maid and held her bridal style. "Just hold on, I'll get you back to your sister, and Beatrice and Emilia should be able to do something for you."

"It's a-alright," said Rem as a look of relief washed over her face, "l-live for m-." The light on her head faded then as her eyes closed. Her lips were curved into a smile, almost as if she was happy that her last act was helping him.

"You shouldn't have died for me," Ulric said, even despite knowing she could no longer hear him, "They need you back at the mansion too, I thought you had your responsibility as a maid." The knight could do nothing to restrain the tears he'd been holding back for the whole exchange with the witch's cult as he pressed his forehead to Rem's. He then proceeded to head out of the cave, carrying his blue-haired companion in his arms.

As he traveled along the road, Ulric lost all sense of time as he simply continued to put one foot in front of the other on his way back to Roswaal's mansion. But as he crossed the bridge leading to the village near the mansion, he realized he was already too late. The smell of blood and burning flesh told the story before he even entered the village, but seeing it only made it all the more real. What remained of the cultists had swept through, massacring every single villager regardless of whether or not they were men, women or children.

Everywhere he looked as he walked through the streets, a slain innocent lay on the ground with a cultist's dagger in their chests or their backs. Bodies hung from fences and in doorways, or simply laid in the middle of the road. The scent of burning flesh, came from the largest mass of bodies, which had been piled into the village square and set ablaze. All that remained were the charred remnants of what were once human beings. It was a sight Ulric had thought he'd grown accustomed to during the Crusades, but seeing it now only caused his anger to boil over even further.

It was also this sight that told him he must press on to the manor, his only remaining hope that at least someone survived the bloody massacre. So he continued to trek onward up the trail, using every bit of restraint he had to keep from stopping and checking any of the bodies he found on the road. Yet as he walked, he noticed something else strange was happening. Snow had begun to fall, and the further he went the heavier it got. By the time he reached the gates of the mansion, the snow fall had practically become a blizzard.

But even with all of the snow, it hadn't completely hidden what had happened. Looking to his right, Ulric saw a mass of cultist's bodies surrounding a storehouse and leaning against the wall with a number of cultist's knives sticking out of her and blood spattering her uniform, was Ram. The knight didn't even need to check to know that she was no longer in this world. "'The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away'," Quoted Ulric as he fell to his knees. In another moment, he wailed in anguish as the weight of his failings came into full realization.

"This is not the work of God, this was my failure and now I have only one reason to go on," said Ulric before shouting out in an effort to be heard over the howling wind. "Betelgeuse Romanee' Conti! You've left me but one purpose now and that is to see you and all the followers of the witch dead! I shall take this curse and become a curse upon all of you! Until the day it is removed or the day you all lie slain at my feet, YOU SHALL NEVER BE RID OF ME!"

"Impressive words, sir knight," said a haunting voice that could somehow be heard over the wind. Then, a massive shadow in the shape of a giant cat emerged from the top of the mansion, turning its head so that its glowing yellow eyes rested on the knight kneeling in the snow. "I hope your words of apology to my daughter are just as passionate, when you see her in the other world." A blast of ice and wind blinded the knight for a second, and then nothing as death once again found the knight.

The Capital: Market District

When Ulric came too, he was again in the capital. A quick look around told him he was in the market district, but that was all he knew at the moment. "Ulric," said a voice that the knight felt like he hadn't heard in ages, "Is something wrong?" The knight felt a tug at his arm and looked to his left to see a familiar blue-haired girl holding his arm.

 **The fires of crusade have been stoked once again as Ulric finds a new purpose for fighting against Emilia's enemies. One thing I will say, introducing the Betelgeuse whack job was tricky, and don't even get me started on Rem's death (don't hate me please), had not been looking forward to writing that part. As for the chapters shortness, it just seemed an appropriate place to end it here. But Ulric's return has given everyone a second chance and a new path to take, where will it lead? In the mean time, feel free to leave a comment or review about what you liked/disliked or if you've got a cool idea for a future chapter. Be sure to stop in next time as Ulric attempts some negotiations and meets with a legendary beast. 'Til next time.**


	21. Sir Negotiator

**Sir Negotiator**

The Capital: Market District

To say Rem was taken a little by surprise was something of an understatement. One moment they'd stopped to inspect the food at one of the stalls, then Ulric had suddenly stiffened next to her as his eyes took on a haunted and confused look, almost as if he didn't know where he was for a moment. Stranger still, when Rem asked him if something was wrong, he responded by pulling the blue-haired oni into a hug, acting as if he hadn't seen her in days. "Sir Ulric, what are you doing?" Questioned a now very flustered Rem.

"My apologies," said Ulric as he released her, "I just suddenly thought how lost I'd be without you." This answer helped Rem's confusion slightly, but it was still strange for her to see him acting this way out of the blue.

"You needn't worry," said Rem as she slipped her arm around Ulric's like it was before, "Rem has no intention of going anywhere." Ulric smiled a bit at this, though it seemed sad in a way for some reason. "I have a question," said Rem, "The smell of the witch has grown stronger around you, why?"

"It's probably because her followers are near," said Ulric, "And Lady Emilia is in danger." This got the maid's attention as they quickly finished up their errand in the market before heading to get something Ulric now realized was essential if they were going to stop the witch cultists. They were going to need help.

The Mansion of Crusch Karnstein

The sun was low by the time they arrived at the mansion and as they approached, Ulric noticed that Wilhelm was outside the mansion talking to someone he'd never seen before. He was about Wilhelm's height, wearing a red suit and sported blond hair and a goatee. "Ah, now this is an unusual development," said the man as he and Wilhelm turned to Ulric and Rem.

"I'm afraid you have us at a disadvantage," said Ulric as they stopped for a moment, "You seem to know us, but I do not recall ever meeting you."

"Of course, allow me to introduce myself," said the man with a slight bow, "I am Russell Fellow and I work as the treasurer to the capital's Merchant Guild. And you are Lady Emilia's knight Sir Ulric, a pleasure to meet you." Ulric simply nodded as he shook his hand, not quite sure what to make of the man. "Now I must apologize, but there is some other business I need to attend to. Perhaps we'll have ample opportunity to talk next time."

The treasurer then climbed into his carriage and departed the mansion grounds as everyone present watched his exit for a moment. "He seems like a calculating man," observed Ulric.

"Russell Fellow," said Wilhelm, "He is known to be a shrewd man, which is why he manages the internal and external financial matters of the capital."

"I've always heard one must be somewhat clever to survive in the merchant world," remarked Ulric.

"Indeed," said Wilhelm, "Now as it so happens I was about to head back inside. But since you've both shown up I must ask what business you have here."

"We wish to speak with Lady Crusch about a pressing matter," answered Ulric, "Is she by chance here right now?"

"As it just so happens, yes," replied Wilhelm, "Wait here and I will announce your arrival. With luck, she may be able to see you." Ulric and Rem both nodded as the old swordsman turned and went back into the mansion. He returned shortly and beckoned them to follow to Lady Crusch's office, a sight which was becoming increasingly familiar to the knight. Also familiar was the sight of the royal candidate sitting behind her desk with Felix standing right behind her.

"Sir Ulric and Rem," said Crusch as she looked up from some papers she'd been reading, "To what do I owe this unexpected visit?"

"You've likely been informed about this already, or if not you soon will be," said Ulric as he took a seat while Rem chose to remain standing, "The witch's cult is in the Mathers domain. What's more, they plan on attacking Lord Roswaal's mansion in three days."

"Well it was only a matter of time," said Felix, "the people's distrust of half elves already guaranteed a nya-umber of enemy's even before she was a royal candidate."

"But that doesn't answer the question of why you decided to come to me with this information," said Crusch.

"The reason we're here is to ask for your assistance, Lady Crusch," Said Ulric, "Based on what I've seen of the cult members and their leader, Betelgeuse Romanee' Conti, I'm ashamed to say my blade and the abilities of the others won't be enough to stop them."

"So I see," said Crusch, "My next question then is why it is my assistance you've sought out."

"Sir Reinhard and Lady Felt are currently occupied with other matters outside the capital," replied Ulric, "And I don't respect either of the two remaining candidates like I respect you. Not to mention, you've been looking for an enemy to face if I recall."

"While that is true to a degree, there's something you must understand," said Crusch, "I cannot simply lend my support. You must tell me what we stand to gain from helping you, otherwise there is nothing worth negotiating. So I must know, what benefit is helping you eliminate the witch's cult to us?"

"Based on what I've seen and heard," said Ulric, "Members of the witch's cult are monstrous, killing men, women and children without remorse or even a clear reason, in fact they seem to enjoy it. Eliminating them, in my opinion, would be a benefit to everyone. Not to mention, the people would no doubt support you even further if it was known you were instrumental in their destruction."

"While that is true, they do not currently threaten my camp," Crusch pointed out, "What happens in a lord's domain is their concern, and if they lack the power or ability to protect those within their domain, then their deaths are due to their incompetence."

"I'd appreciate you not speaking of my lady in such a way," said Ulric as he leaned forward with something of an irritated frown on his face, "Even the greatest of kings and queens can be toppled from circumstances out of their control, such as the sickness that swept the current royal family. If these were ordinary circumstances, your help wouldn't be required."

"While there is truth to your statement, I must point out another issue with you requesting my help," said Crusch, "You see by asking for help from a rival candidate, you're calling Emilia's ability to rule into question. In other words, should I render assistance to you, Lady Emilia will be eliminated from the royal selection."

"I don't believe such a thing should be necessary," said Ulric as he laced his fingers together, mainly to keep his fingers from digging into the chair arms out of frustration, "If we turn the question around, one could say that your own ability to rule would also be called into question by refusing to lend assistance."

"Nya-ow you're just sounding crazy," Said Felix, "Lady Crusch is well within her rights to not help."

"Felix is right," said Crusch, "Do explain how my refusal to help you could be viewed negatively?"

"Simply put," said Ulric, "you're putting your concerns and the concerns of your own camp first. Ordinarily this would be quite normal, but your goal is to become ruler of this entire kingdom. This means that your responsibilities extend to all people within the kingdom and not just your own. You see, the witch's cult is also threatening the village near the mansion, people who may very well be your subjects one day. From what I hear, your intentions once you become ruler are to sever the contract with the great dragon who protects and guides the people of this land, meaning you will have to rely solely on your own power to insure the safety of the people."

"Tell me, will your answer to their cries of help still be the question 'what do I gain by helping you?' once you've become ruler."

"Are you daring to doubt my integrity sir Knight?" questioned Crusch, "They will all be my people once I become ruler and my decisions will be measured to insure that the entire kingdom benefits from any action I take."

"And that is the one and only reason I believe Emilia to be better suited to ruling than you," said Ulric, "While you wait to act like a ruler, she already acts like one by caring for all people who ask for her help. In essence, while you ask what doing the right thing gains you, she doesn't need a reason to do the right thing." Ulric stood up and drew his sword then, prompting Wilhelm to step in front of his master before Ulric kneeled down with his blade planted in front of him, his head bowed in a traditional knight's fashion. "But since you insist that something must be gained for your help, then I offer myself to your service."

"But Ulric, Emilia has to-," Rem started to say before Ulric stopped her.

"A knight must be prepared to lay down everything, even their very life for the one they serve," said Ulric, "And Lady Emilia always pays her debts. So if you lend us your assistance now, ask her for whatever it is you want and tell her of this as well so that she may release me from my oath of service to her. If you ever once considered me a worthy servant of your rival then you will at least consider this proposal. I do not wish to see a tragedy like this village being slaughtered play out before my eyes again, and for that to happen, the witch's cult must be slain."

"You're willing to turn your life over to me in return for my help," said Crusch as Wilhelm moved back to his position on her left hand side. "Tell me, is this really about protecting your lady or do you seek to slay the witch's cult?"

"I seek both," replied Ulric as he raised his head, "I've come begging for help because I know our strength alone will not be enough to protect everyone. But I also know that these cultists are fanatical about their beliefs, and being a knight who joined a war for his beliefs, I can tell you that the only way to insure they never threaten anyone again is to leave none of them alive. Make no mistake, though, my first priority is to Lady Emilia and to those in the Mathers domain, even if I wish at this very moment to be out there slaying cultists." Crusch seemed to think on his words for a moment before finally sighing.

"I always know when someone is lying to me," said Crusch, "In fact I'm fairly proud of the fact that not a single person has ever fooled me in a negotiation. And you, sir knight, have not lied to me once, which is why I will now be honest with you. I have actually set my sights on another enemy, one that is also a danger to everyone, so dangerous in fact that bringing it down will require nearly all the resources and manpower I currently possess. So in short, it is not that I do not wish to help you, I simply cannot spare anyone or anything to help you right now."

"I," Ulric said, trying to keep his voice even, "Understand." Ulric stood up then and sheathed his sword before turning to exit the room. "I apologize for the intrusion. I also offer my gratitude for hearing us out, and for being honest about your current situation."

"If I may offer one suggestion before you go," said Crusch, "Some of the merchants might be willing to provide transportation for the right price. Lady Anastasia would know more about this matter than I, though."

"So I see," said Ulric as he opened the door, "I may look into such a possibility. In the meantime, good luck and Godspeed for your campaign. May your blade find its way into the heart of your enemy." Ulric walked out of the door then as Rem bowed before closing the door behind her. A moment of silence passed between the three remaining occupants before Felix spoke.

"You nya-eed to stop doing that," said Felix with a shake of his head.

"Why whatever do you mean," asked Crusch, "Emilia will likely be eliminated from the selection whether I intervene or not."

"That's beside the point," said Felix, "You said it was nya-one of your concern, and then helped him anyway. If you keep it up, others might think you're soft."

"I simply made a friendly suggestion," answered Crusch, "Whether or not he acts on it is up to him. In truth, aren't you just the slightest bit interested in what he plans to do next?"

"I suppose I do feel slightly bad that such a nya-ice guy can't seem to catch a break," admitted Felix, "But he is still our enemy."

"A truly terrible enemy at that," said Crusch, "But if he survives this, he just might make a good rival."

Emilia's Temporary Apartment

"So, Roswaal won't be present at the mansion for a few days," Ulric repeated after hearing the news from Rem.

"No, he has been summoned by some officials within his domain and will remain with them until he is finished conducting business." Said Rem.

"Well that does explain why the cult picked this time to strike," said Ulric as he crossed his arms and leaned against the frame of the apartment's window, "The mansion would be almost completely vulnerable right now."

"We have little time if what you say will come to pass," said Rem.

"As sure as the sun will rise, they will attack," said Ulric, "I know it's hard to believe, but if it helps, tomorrow you will feel something ominous through the link with your sister."

"Then should we proceed back to Lord Roswaal's mansion?" Questioned Rem.

"Loathe as I am to admit it, the two of us won't be enough to stop them," said Ulric, "And we can only protect so many people at once. So tomorrow, I'll talk to Anastasia Hoshin and see if there is something she is willing to do, while you check in at the knight's station. With luck we'll be able to rally a few more swords to our cause and if not, then at the very least we can find a way to get everyone away before the cult's attack."

"Then we have the makings of a plan," said Rem with a nod, "The only thing we can do now is rest sir knight, and hope tomorrow is more fruitful."

"I will be praying for it," said Ulric as he patted the maid's head, "God willing, tomorrow's efforts will yield results."

The Capital: Market District the Next Day

While the plan itself was fairly sound, Ulric found that he had overlooked one minor detail before setting out. He had absolutely no idea where Anastasia Hoshin actually was. To that end, he decided the best course of action was to start looking around where the most merchants would gather, given the royal candidate's background as a merchant herself. If nothing else, he could at least ask for directions to her current residence, assuming she was even there at this time.

'I'm still not terribly fond of the fact that we'll need to be relying on merchants for assistance,' thought Ulric, 'But if this is what the Lord has decided to provide us with, then who am I to refuse.' With this thought at the back of his mind, the knight scoured the market in search of any sign of the merchant girl. He got a number of promising leads over the next couple of hours, but nothing certain as he wandered from location to location. Though part of his wandering was also due to getting lost on more than one occasion.

'It's an embarrassment that I can still get lost in this part of the city despite the numerous times I've walked through it,' He thought before having to stop abruptly at the sight of something small and catlike in his path. "Wow, you seem lost Mr. Knight," said the cat which Ulric now realized was actually an incredibly short demi-human with ginger hair, cat ears and a tail sticking out from under a white robe with yellow lines for decoration. "Are you looking for something, you're walking all seriously?"

"Now Mimi, no getting into trouble," said a female voice, prompting the cat girl to turn around and wave back cheerfully with a quick apology. "I'm terribly sorry if she's been botherin' you," said a purple-haired girl with bright blue eyes as she came walking forward. She was wearing a pink dress with furred edges on the bottom and on her sleeves. She also wore gloves, a furry white cape, a blue scarf and a knitted pink and white cap with frills coming down from either side. Ulric was tempted to ask if she was cold given the way she was bundled up.

"Goodness, I know you," said the girl, "You're Emilia's knight, Sir Ulric if I recall."

"And you are Lady Anastasia Hoshin," said Ulric with a bow, recognizing her from the few glimpses he'd seen at the royal selection, "A pleasure to finally meet you in person."

"It is quite a coincidence isn't it," said Hoshin with a light smile, "What are the odds I'd run into you here of all places?"

"Quite fortunate, truthfully," said Ulric, "I have actually been looking for you. There's an important matter I'd like to discuss."

"Is that so," said Anastasia with a finger to her chin, "Well it just so happens I know a little place that would be perfect for such a discussion. Care to join me for lunch sir knight?"

Café in the Market District

Ulric wasn't terribly familiar with the term café', but from what he gathered, their meeting place basically sold food and assorted drinks of different kinds. It was set up with numerous round tables and a kind of bar at the far end where one went to place an order for what they wanted. The little cat girl, Mimi, was more than excited to get something to eat as she practically cheered when her food arrived. "So, what is it you were wantin' to discuss with me of all people?" asked Hoshin.

"To put it simply, I have a need for wagons and if possible a few hands capable of wielding weapons." Explained Ulric.

"Straight to the point I see," said Anastasia, "But I should tell you that a key part of negotiation is getting on your partner's good side."

"I do apologize for being blunt, but time is of the essence right now," said Ulric, "I need to gather what I can and depart as soon as possible."

"Then at least grant me the favor of a conversation," said Hoshin with an overly friendly smile, "After all, this won't be a lot of fun if I just hand you what you need."

"We are perfectly capable of providing you with compensation," said Ulric, "And if what we currently have with us isn't enough, then I can promise you payment in full from the Mathers domain in a relatively short time. We do believe in paying our debts after all."

"Oh I'm certain you can," said Hoshin, "But I was hoping for more of a simple chat about this 'n that."

"It was my understanding that merchants cared only for money and ways to make more money," Said Ulric as he leaned back and laced his fingers together, "So what else is it you'd want to discuss besides that?"

"Now that's a little bit of a narrow view, at least of me," said Anastasia, "Everything in this world has value to one degree or another, and inspiration can come from anywhere. Who knows what ideas I might come up with just sitting here talking about our days." Ulric simply sighed at this as he relaxed his posture more.

"Very well, is there a particular subject you wish to discuss," said Ulric, forcing himself to be patient. Before the royal candidate could answer, she was interrupted by Mimi.

"My lady, can I eat some more please," said Mimi as her tail flicked back and forth excitedly.

"As soon as I wipe the sauce off of your mouth," said Hoshin as she dabbed at the little one's mouth for a moment with a cloth.

"Yay, I'll be right back," said Mimi happily as she ran to the counter with her arms waving excitedly in the air.

"Despite her adorable appearance," said Hoshin, "She's ranked as second in command in the Iron Fang."

"Should I know that name," questioned Ulric, "It doesn't sound familiar."

"The Hoshin Company's private army and my personal squad of mercenaries," explained Anastasia, "They're quite well known in Kararagi. But she's also got the added benefit of being super cute. Nothing compares to falling asleep with her in your arms."

"That would explain why you were out walking around the market with only her by your side," said Ulric as he leaned forward with his elbow on the table, "If there's one lesson this land has taught me, it's that nothing is quite as it seems. Speaking of," the knight reached behind his back before pulling out his dagger and slamming it into the middle of the table, making the merchant girl jump a bit. But this also had the effect of every person sitting at a table jumping to their feet, some of whom drew weapons while others held up their hands, all pointed at Ulric. "It seems our meeting was just a bit more than coincidence," Ulric proceeded to pull his dagger out of the table and returned it to the sheath on the back of his belt.

"How dare you scare our lady like that!" yelled Mimi as she pointed her staff at Ulric.

"It's fine Mimi," said Hoshin as she recomposed herself, "It just seems that we underestimated our guest a bit, stand down everyone." The entirety of the restaurant lowered their collection of weapons, though not all of them sat back down. "When did you figure it out sir knight?"

"Your little second in command called me knight," explained Ulric, "I know I made a spectacle at the meeting of the royal candidates, but I was a mess then and despite the sword at my side, she's never seen me before. Since I'm not currently wearing my armor, I kept questioning how she guessed what I was. But the biggest mistake you made was thinking I wouldn't notice a dozen figures wearing robes that match the one Mimi is wearing sitting in a restaurant when I walked in."

"It seems Lady Emilia choice you as her knight for more than your ability to get into trouble," said Anastasia, "You have a fair eye as well."

"War taught me vigilance when dealing with the unknown," said Ulric, "Would you like to hear about some of my time as a Crusader? One instance that really comes to mind at the moment was a day I assisted in the execution of a number of merchants. They also thought they were being clever selling to both sides, until they were caught that is."

"So I see," said Hoshin, "Well the charade was fun while it lasted. A shame, I was enjoying our conversation."

"We can still continue if you'd be so kind as to tell me what it is you really want," said Ulric, "I have no intention of tricking you or stealing from you. As you said, a rule of negotiation is to get on your partner's good side, and while you do indeed have something I need it seems I have something that you desire as well." Hoshin sighed a bit as she sipped her tea before speaking.

"I was hoping to glean from you some information about why Crusch Karnstein is buying up numerous wagons and weapons. She has had a string of visitors recently, but you are one of the few who has visited her on more than one occasion, and who likely has no agreement about keeping your business with her secret."

"I'm afraid there's little I can actually tell you about her affairs," said Ulric, "But you needn't worry about her attacking you, as she's gathering weapons and materials to engage an extraordinarily fearsome enemy that is said to threaten everyone. As for her other visitors, the only one I know by name is Russell Fellow, which was largely by coincidence."

"Russell Fellow you say," repeated Anastasia, "So she's working with a big fish like that. You have brought me far more information than you know Sir Knight. So in exchange, I'll give you this, free of charge." The royal candidate proceeded to pull a slip of paper and a feathered quill out of her bag, quickly writing down a few bits of information on it before neatly folding it and sliding it across the table. "There's a young man in town, a merchant by the name of Otto who recently made a hasty purchase of oil that he's trying to get rid of. He is also one of the few people in the city right now who has a large caravan of wagons still available for hire, you'll likely find him at one of these locations."

"How fortunate," said Ulric as he accepted the slip of paper and slid it into one of his pockets before standing up. "A pleasure doing business with you your ladyship, and my apologies for frightening you earlier."

"One must be willing to take risks to get ahead from time to time," replied Hoshin, putting on a genuine smile this time, "Now that I know you're observant, I won't underestimate you next time."

"Then I'd best come prepared," said Ulric as he began to walk out, patting Mimi on the head quickly as he went. "Do take good care of your mistress, Mimi, she seems the type to actually go looking for trouble."

"Just don't go breaking down negotiations next time," said Mimi, "And next time I'll say when you can pat my head!"

"As you say, Iron Fang second-in-command," Ulric commented with a wave. But as he was about to walk out the door, one of the hooded mercenaries stood up and called after him.

"Before you go Sir Knight, I need you to answer a question for me," said the man, "Tell me, what does that symbol at the end of your pommel represent?"

"It represents the cross from which Christ the Lord was hung to pay for our sins," replied Ulric as he unsheathed the sword slightly to make it more visible, "It is also the symbol of one's faith in the lord God Almighty."

"So it is true then, you were a crusader before coming to this land," said the man as he stepped forward and pulled his hood down, revealing short black hair, a trimmed beard and skin that had been worn by the sun for many years. "We had another name for your kind, infidel." Ulric stiffened at the mention of that word, one he hadn't heard since arriving in the land of Lugnica. Memories quickly flashed through his mind as he now realized where he'd seen a man like this before, and the name they had for him.

"Yes, I was a crusader, and we had another name for your kind as well, Turk." Said Ulric, "We called you HERETICS!" The Turk had not intended to let him finish his sentence as he drew the familiar curved sword of a Turkish military officer and charged him. Ulric drew his sword as well and blocked his initial charge before backing out of the doorway to the lobby. The Turk pursued him, slashing angrily as Ulric continued to parry his blows before knocking his sword upward and kicking the man in the chest, causing him to tumble over into one of the nearby tables.

The Turk was back on his feet in a moment before charging Ulric again with another series of high slashes before suddenly striking low. Ulric blocked the blows but wasn't quick enough to stop the Turk from landing a punch to his face, causing him to stagger back as his opponent tried slashing at his neck. But the knight was able to lock their blades, forcing the both of them to circle around before Ulric broke the lock and struck the Turk in the head with the back end of his sword handle. His opponent staggered back through the entrance of the café' before stopping another strike from Ulric. If he heard the yells of his mistress ordering him to stand down, he didn't acknowledge it as he tried to slash at the knight's midsection next.

But Ulric batted his blow away as the two of them circled each other in the streets, causing the crowd to step back several feet in fear of being hit by a stray swing. "You infidels took Jerusalem from us!" exclaimed the Turk as he tried another series of blows against Ulric.

"If God had desired you to keep it, you wouldn't have lost it in the first place heretic," replied Ulric as he deflected another blow before using his free arm to elbow the Turk in the face. But the man had experience as he swung his leg out to hit the knight in the side of the knee, causing him to lose his balance and fall to a half kneeling position.

"Allah will grant it back to us!" yelled the Turk as he brought his blade down directly at Ulric's head. But the knight made use of his training with Reinhard and Wilhelm and quickly rolled out of the way before swinging back and slashing his opponent in the back of the leg, causing him to stumble over after wincing in pain.

"Only God can help you here," said Ulric. But as he was about to bring his sword down on his adversary, an earsplitting yell hit both of them, causing them to drop their weapons as they held their heads, feeling as though they'd split open at any moment. Then, just as quickly as it happened, the pain stopped. Looking back, Ulric noticed that Mimi was panting a little, meaning she was likely the source of the attack.

"Now that is quite enough," said Anastasia as she ordered two of her mercenaries to pick the Turk up off the ground, "I did not order you to attack him Berat. We have what we came for."

"Do not deny me my vengeance," said the Turk as he struggled against the two mercenaries, "My people have suffered uncountable horrors at the hands of his kind. Our land suffers because of infidels like him and it is my duty to slay them!"

"Your duty is to follow my orders," said Anastasia as she approached the two of them and picked up Ulric's sword, "I don't know what went on between your people back in your homeland, but this is not your homeland. You've agreed to a contract with me and if you are unable to fulfill the obligations of that contract, then I will have no choice but to relieve you of your duties."

"But I must-," Berat started to say before he was stopped by his master raising a hand.

"An employee's actions reflect on the company as a whole," said Hoshin, "Is it your intention to disgrace me by fighting in the city streets in plain view of everyone."

"No my lady, I was merely," Berat began to protest before he was again silenced by Hoshin raising her hand.

"We shall discuss this later," said Hoshin, "For now, you will return to the barracks and await further instructions. Use that time to remind yourself who it was that gave you a new life after you showed up out of nowhere." Berat clearly wanted to say more, but decided instead to simply bow his head before allowing the other two mercenaries to escort him away. The royal candidate then turned to Ulric and handed him his sword. "My sincerest apologies, Berat has been one of my most professional soldiers since I hired him, so this outburst was the last thing I expected from him."

"A Turk was the last thing I expected to see here," said Ulric as he accepted his sword and slid it back into its sheath, "It seems I was not the only one who came to this land through mysterious means."

"It seems an interesting tale," said Anastasia, "I'd love to hear it, but you and I both have business we must attend too."

"Then may our next meeting be more pleasant," said Ulric with a slight bow, "Farewell for now Lady Hoshin." With that, Ulric turned and started walking towards the guard station to find Rem and tell her the good news. As it turned out, she found him first.

"There you are Ulric," said Rem as she rushed over to him, "Is everything alright, did something happen?"

"A slight scuffle with a familiar foe," Said Ulric, "But nothing to worry about otherwise. Why were you rushing over here just now?"

"I heard that there was some commotion happening near one of the cafés," replied Rem, "I thought you might be involved."

"You think I'm terrible at staying out of trouble too, don't you," said Ulric.

"N-no, Rem just knew that you might be in this area, and she was coming to warn you," said Rem, "Though I still must ask. Was it you?" Ulric simply grinned a little before answering.

"Yes it was me Rem," said Ulric, "And I would not argue your assessment any more than Lady Emilia's. I am indeed terrible at keeping out of trouble. But on to more important matters, what did they tell you at the knight's station?"

"I'm afraid we can't expect anything from them," said Rem, "Even after I dropped Roswaal's name, they told me that they'd already received a number of similar reports. The background of the witch's cult is very unclear, however, so they receive numerous anonymous reports that can't be verified."

"They keep themselves shrouded in secrecy," said Ulric as he put a hand to his chin, "given that the identity of most cult members is hidden when they're carrying out their plans, I suppose it would be easy for them to sneak into a number of domains undetected. It would certainly explain how they slipped into the Mathers domain."

"I should also let you know that you were right Sir Ulric," said Rem, "I did indeed feel a troubling presence through the mental link with my sister not long ago. Rem is wondering, did you succeed in your meeting with Lady Hoshin." Ulric withdrew the slip of paper as his mouth curved up into a half smile.

"We won't be getting help from her, per se, but she did recommend someone who just might have some wagons we can use." Said Ulric.

Nearby Tavern

"So how can I help you two," asked a man with light brown hair? He wore a green long-sleeved tunic and dark green pants along with white gloves and a dark green cape secured by a red bow. But what made him stand out the most among the rest of the merchants was his short, cylindrical green hat with a feather attached to the left side of it. "Are you looking to by some oil perhaps?"

"We actually have a business proposition for you Mr. Otto," said Ulric as he and Rem both sat at the tavern bar next to him.

"Please, just call me Otto," said the merchant as he rubbed the back of his head, "Mister makes me sound like I'm older than I actually am. By the way, who are you two?"

"You may simply refer to me as Ulric," replied the knight, "And this lovely lady is Rem."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance," said Rem politely with a slight bow.

"Likewise," said Otto, "So, you were saying you had a proposition for me?"

"It's more of a little operation that needs to be carried out," explained Ulric, "I hear you have access to a number of wagons and people to drive them. I need as many as you can gather in a short time to depart this evening."

"If I may ask, why do you need to depart so quickly," questioned Otto, "Are you involved in something illegal? You're not asking me to help you break the law are you?"

"Nothing of the sort," said Ulric, "In fact, our intention is to save lives, but first we need wagons to transport people."

"Are you saying you're evacuating people," questioned Otto, "I mean I'd love to help, but I need to get rid of this oil I purchased out of season first. If I don't, it could ruin me." Rem answered this by withdrawing a large sack of coins and setting it on the counter.

"Then we'd love to purchase some," said Rem with a friendly smile, "and we will of course thank the other merchants properly for their help. Lord Roswaal is a generous man to those who provide assistance in a time of need."

"W-will it be dangerous," questioned Otto with a look of concern, likely assuming this was too good to be true.

"Not if we move fast enough," said Ulric, "We simply need help transporting the innocent people of a village in the Mathers domain out of harm's way. So what say you, are you willing to help us?"

"Well I'm in the hole if I don't," said Otto, "Honestly I'd be lucky to sell even half of my oil at this point. Where do you want us to meet you?"

"Say this evening at the entrance to the city," said Ulric, "Bring as many wagons as you can."

Meeting Time: City Entrance

Despite his obvious reluctance, Otto was as good as his word, especially considering they agreed to pay him half now and half upon completion. He arrived with seven other merchants, all of whom had wagons to transport a good number of people. "I had no idea you were a knight Ulric," said Otto, noting that he'd donned his chainmail armor.

"I serve those who rule the Mathers domain," said Ulric as he and Rem sat upon their own carriage, "I hope this further impresses upon you the importance of this mission."

"Well I've never been given a reason to mistrust a knight," said Otto with a shrug.

"Then let us be off," said Ulric as Rem directed their carriage out of the city gates. Otto and the other merchants followed suit in their own wagons, creating something of a caravan traveling down the road. As before, Rem and Ulric took turns driving the carriage to avoid stopping too much, but since they were also traveling with a large number of carriages this time, they did eventually have to stop when another one of the ground dragons became too exhausted to continue. Ulric didn't like it, but he knew there was no helping it either as they set up a temporary campsite to allow some time for all of them to rest.

"So I've got to ask," said one of the merchants, a man with a red bandana on his head, "Did you find Otto or did he find you and beg you to buy some of his oil?"

"I wasn't begging them to buy my oil," said Otto with a look of embarrassment on his face, "I just told them I really needed to sell it." The other merchants still laughed in spite of this declaration.

"We found him," answered Ulric, "after some interesting negotiations we were told that he could gather us the wagons we needed for a village's evacuation."

"What kind of trouble are you expecting that you need to evacuate an entire village," questioned another one of the merchants.

"Should I tell them Rem," Ulric asked the maid who was sitting on his right.

"We are a short distance from our destination," said Rem, "At this point, I would think it'd be too late for them to back out now."

"Well I suppose I owe them some form of explanation for coming this far already," said Ulric as he crossed his arms, "We have recently learned of a planned attack by the witch's cult." This caused a number of murmurs throughout the gathered merchants. "Fear not, we have a relatively accurate idea of when they're going to strike the village and mansion. As I explained before, if we move quickly enough, we can avoid them all together."

"But what's to keep them from coming after us," a merchant in the back questioned.

"The village is simply an obstacle to them," said Ulric, "What they seek lies within the mansion itself. That is why we will split off once the evacuation of the villagers is complete. Your job will be to take the villagers somewhere safe while Rem and I proceed to the mansion. God willing, we will have a place to send you, and we will also deliver the other half of your payment."

"You make it sound so simple," Said Otto, "But what will we do if the witch's cult shows up earlier than you expect?"

"They are waiting for something called the Ordeal," said Ulric, "From what I've learned, it will occur the day after tomorrow. Should they decide to move before that, it will likely not be before tomorrow night. So as said, if we move quickly enough, we should be safe."

"Well when you put it that way, an overnight drive doesn't sound so bad," said one of the merchants.

"If we ride through the night, we should arrive in the Mathers domain by morning," said Rem, "Are you and your people willing to go on without any further rest breaks?"

"Given all that you've told us, it'd be best if we got there as quickly as possible," said Otto, "Besides, I owe you both big time for helping me get rid of my extra stock, so I suppose that's worth me risking a little danger."

"And to transport fees," exclaimed the merchant in the red bandana, "So why don't we do something a little heroic boys!" The other merchants let out a cheer in agreement. Ulric and Rem smiled at this, silently agreeing as well.

Before long, they broke down their temporary camp site and were back on the road, driving the wagons at a fair pace. Thanks to the light of the moon, the trail was surprisingly easy to see even in the middle of the night. But that didn't necessarily mean the map was easy to see. "Sir Ulric," said Rem, "We're approaching the final leg of our journey, but I need to confirm the distance, could you pass me your map."

"Are you sure you can even see it in this light," questioned Ulric as he searched around in his bag for the parchment.

"Oni can see relatively well in the dark," said Rem as Ulric held up the map for her, "And judging by this, we'll be passing Flugel's tree soon. The Mather's domain is a short ride northwest from there."

"So I see," said Ulric as he took the map to look at it himself. From what he'd been told, mostly by Rem, Flugel's tree had been planted by a wise man, also named Flugel, and was situated on the Lifaus Highway. Over time, the tree had grown so tall that it seemed to reach through the very clouds. 'So it should be easy to see, even in this light, speaking of which,' thought Ulric as he pulled out a glowing crystal, appropriately referred to as a crystal light. "I haven't said this in some time, but the magic in this world is far different from where I come from, to think what we could've done in my homeland with glowing stones that can keep lit even when they're wet."

"They're among one of the cheapest forms of magic available," said Rem, "Though they aren't warm like torches."

"True, but my birthplace of England is a land of rain," said Ulric, "Keeping a fire going during the wetter months was always difficult and the cold-where'd the man with the red bandana go?" He'd just happen to check his right side at that moment to find that the man that had been next to them, was gone.

"What are you talking about?" Questioned Otto, a confused look on his face.

"There was a merchant riding on our right hand side just a moment ago," said Ulric, wondering how he hadn't noticed the absence of a whole wagon sooner.

"No one was riding on your right hand side," said Otto, "Are you sure you're not seeing things sir knight?"

"He's been with us since we met up at the city gates," said Ulric, "You're telling me you didn't notice he was right-." The knight stopped speaking then as he noticed a strange fog had crept up next to them. What was more, the fog contained a dark shape that, the more Ulric looked at it, seemed to blot out the light from the moon. 'What's going on here,' thought the knight as he held up his crystal light to get a better view of the fog?

But as he did so, he finally say that the dark shape was actually white skin. He also noticed a strange slit in the mass of skin, which suddenly opened to reveal a massive yellow eye the size of a man. Ulric realized the true gravity of the situation then. They were riding next to a monster known to be so massive that it ate entire caravans of wagons, while hiding its body within a fog it was able to create. 'The news of this creature was supposed to arrive the next day,' thought Ulric, 'So this is the time it covered the road.'

Ulric had been focused on beating the witch's cult to the village, so focused that he'd forgotten what had stopped them from using this road the first time. The beast's eye shifted then, narrowing as it came to rest on Ulric and Rem's wagon. "Everyone full gallop now!" yelled Ulric as the white whale let out a massive roar, ready to devour its newfound prey.

 **Hoping to avoid one possible calamity, our heroes have found themselves facing another calamity, a living, breathing monster out of one's nightmares. Can they escape the white whale, or will they be swallowed whole by it? Hello everyone, I hope you've all had a good week and if not, maybe you found some entertainment with this latest chapter. As always, feel free to leave a comment or review about what you liked/disliked or if you've got a neat idea for a future chapter. Be sure to stop in next time as our heroes try to outrun a living legendary creature. 'Til then.**


	22. Jaws of a Legendary Mabeast

**Jaws of a Legendary Mabeast**

Near Flugel's Tree

Had he seen something like this monster a few weeks ago, he would've thought himself in a nightmare. But even after witnessing so many astounding and terrifying things in the land of Lugnica, the knight could still hardly believe the sight that was now floating beside them. It was known as the white whale, which had been described to him as a massive fish-like monster that was somehow able to fly over land and produced its own fog. Ulric had always wondered how until he saw a number of holes open up on the side of the beast, blasting out a foggy screen which managed to engulf most of the wagons and made driving far more difficult.

Not only that, the force of the fog being expelled had knocked Ulric and Rem off their own carriage and into the air. It was only thanks to Rem quickly grabbing onto Otto's wagon and pulling Ulric down with her that the two of them had even managed to avoid hitting the road. "This can't be!" exclaimed Otto, "Why is the white whale here?!"

"Just keep driving!" Rem yelled back as she and Ulric both grabbed onto some rope to steady themselves. The wagon's roof, what Rem had called windbreak protection, had been torn off by the expelled fog as well, meaning they had to stay low to avoid being knocked off by the wind.

"Can you see any of the other wagons," questioned Ulric as he noticed that they seemed to be alone in being pursued by the white whale.

"They likely scattered," replied Rem, "Those that haven't already been consumed that is."

"And we'll be next if we don't do something!" Otto yelled from the front as the massive beast bared down on them, its roar sounding like an echoing howl while its massive jaws approached and threatened to swallow them. Ulric quickly wrapped the rope around his left arm before sitting up in a kneeling position.

"Rem, together," said Ulric as he held up his hand and aimed for the whale's upper lip, "Kito Jiwald!"

"Al Huma!" yelled Rem, mimicking her friend as a large ball of light and a massive spike of ice slammed into the snout of the white whale. The beast recoiled in pain as it slowed significantly. "Now, pass it on the left side!" The maid yelled to the front at Otto, who was more than ready to obey as he steered the wagon onto the left side of the road, while also annoyingly yelling left over and over again. It didn't take long, however, for the whale to resume its pursuit of them as it howled angrily.

"We need to hit it again," said Ulric as he held up his hand and started gathering mana.

"Ulric, aim for this," said Rem as she grabbed a hold of a large wooden case, "If we time this right, it'll ignite the oil against the white whale's skin." Ulric nodded as he aimed his next spell. Rem grabbed the case one-handed, as she had pulled out her flail in the other, and chucked it at the monster. Ulric fired off another orb of light which impacted against the case and caused it to explode in a rather loud blast as the flames washed over the top of the beast, causing it to yell out again. But it wasn't yelling in so much pain this time as it was anger before slamming its body onto the ground and gaining a surprising amount of speed.

"Why is it only after us?!" Yelled Otto, even more terrified upon seeing that their strategy hadn't worked. "It's ignored all of the other wagons behind us!"

"You aren't carrying anything extra special are you?" Questioned Ulric as he fired off another blast while Rem swung her flail and hit the white whale's side.

"That oil was the only thing I had in this cart," Otto yelled back as he knocked off the lamp on the wagon, hoping to make them less visible to the whale, "And you just tossed it out! Why would a creature of the witch even want oil in the first place?!"

"Creature of the witch," said Ulric as he looked back at the maw of the pursuing beast, unable to see anything behind it due to its sheer size. "You mean this monster is some kind of mabeast?"

"Not just a mabeast, one of the great mabeasts," explained Otto, trying his best not to panic as Rem shot another ice shard to slow the beast down. "It once crushed an entire punitive force, including the last master swordsman!"

"It did what," questioned Ulric as a few memories flashed through his mind. It had been when Rem and Emilia were explaining about Wilhelm, they mentioned that his wife had been the last sword master. 'So we're fighting something that could potentially kill even a master like him,' thought Ulric as he glanced at Rem before removing his helmet.

"Ulric, what are you doing," questioned Rem as she knelt down next to him, her hair being blown about by the wind from the whale.

"I was merely thinking," replied Ulric, "You once told me that you thought you were less valuable than your sister."

"It was thanks to you that Rem ceased that way of thinking," replied Rem, "Why would you bring something such as that up now?"

"Because I also recall mentioning that we all had a purpose for which we were born," said Ulric as he suddenly leaned in and kissed the blue-haired oni girl. Needless to say, she was more than a little surprised but didn't recoil as the knight pulled away. "You have made my life here better than you could ever know, thank you dear Rem, and take care of Emilia and your sister." With that, Ulric stood up and cast Jiwald before casting off the rope holding his arm to the wagon.

Rem was speechless for a moment as the knight gave her one last smile before donning his helmet and leaping off the wagon with his sword drawn. "DEUS VULT!" yelled Ulric as he hit the ground and charged to the right, causing the massive beast to slam into the ground as it tried turning towards him. "It's me you want monster, so here I am!" His declaration was met with another roar from the beast as it turned his way.

But the knight used all of his speed to close the gap between them and leap up to the monster's eye, stabbing his mana infused blade into the massive yellow orb. The creature roared in agony before ascending surprisingly quickly, forcing the knight to remove his blade and jump back towards the ground, grunting a bit at the impact. But he had little time to worry about his condition as the monster bared down on his position once again, its massive mouth threatening to swallow him without even the need for a single bite. But the knight had another trick up his sleeve as he actually ran towards it.

'I have seen the jaws of death before,' he thought to himself as every instinct he had told him to run the other way, 'And God has allowed me to escape them, if it is his will now.' The knight launched himself towards the whale's maw then, feeling its teeth close around him as he angled himself for the edge of the monster's mouth. At the last second, he kicked off of one of the massive molars and shot back out of the creature, aiming for its other eye.

But it was not to be as more holes opened on the side of the white whale's skin, blasting him with an explosive mass of fog which sent him careening far away into the trees on the side of the road. Ulric grunted and cursed in agony as he felt numerous branches break against the armor before he finally hit the ground. The knight struggled to breathe for a few moments as his vision swam and his head pounded with a relentless ache. He struggled to get up as he heard the whale's roar in the distance, noting that his sword, which he'd dropped in the fall, was embedded in a nearby tree.

'All this time,' thought Ulric, 'this blasted scent on me has made me a lure for monsters. Is this why I can never avoid trouble? Am I to always be a danger to those around me?' These thoughts and more swirled around in the knight's head as he felt more fog rolling into the trees while he pulled himself up. 'Even if I'd decided to take an oath with someone besides Emilia, would my very presence bring them death eventually?'

The knight gripped his sword then, gritting his teeth in frustration. "Tell me, is my true curse to always see those around me DIE!" Yelled Ulric as he swung around with his sword ready to face the white whale once again, only to be met with an empty forest. The moonlight had returned and the fog had lifted, with a few pieces of broken cargo being the only traces that the monster had ever been there in the first place. Ulric made his way out of the trees and back onto the road, his eyes scanning the area as he held his sword at the ready.

But after several minutes of listening to the sounds of the forest around him, he sheathed his sword, finding no sign of the mabeast that had been pursuing them before starting off down the road. He simply walked in the direction that would take him towards the mansion, his mind occupied with numerous thoughts as to what should be done now. 'Without the wagons, we can't evacuate the villagers and get them away in time before the cult attacks. We could attempt to lead them away by vacating the manor and tricking them into following us, but then we'll be without Beatrice's help and if we can't defeat the cult by the late afternoon then Puck will be useless as well.'

His thoughts were interrupted then as he heard the familiar sound of a wagon approaching. Looking behind him, Ulric found that one of the merchant's wagons was heading towards him, pulled by a blue ground dragon. But what was strange was the lack of a merchant guiding the beast of burden as it came to a stop in front of the knight. "What happened to your master dragon," questioned Ulric, more to break the silence than expecting an actual answer.

The land dragon snorted in return as it gave the knight something of an inquisitive stare. "I suppose he must've been blasted off when the whale arrived, well since you're here." Ulric walked around and climbed onto the wagon's bench before taking the reins and snapping them. Surprisingly, the ground dragon obeyed his command and they were now both venturing down the road.

The bumpy ride wasn't terribly comfortable as Ulric came to realize just how much his tumble through the trees, and painful landing, had bruised his body. 'God bless Reinhard for this armor,' thought Ulric, 'without it I'd likely have been half shredded falling through some of those branches, though now I know it has a limit to how far I fall before I hurt myself.' Despite the discomfort, he still drove the ground dragon at a fair pace, hoping there was still some degree of time to arrive at Roswaal's mansion and form a new plan. At least, that was the hope until the ground dragon suddenly stopped, rearing back as if it was frightened by something.

"What's the problem dragon," said Ulric, not really sure what its actual name was, "I don't see anything in front of-." He noticed it then, this particular section of the forest was familiar to him. This was where the witch's cult had appeared the first time he and Rem had fought them. "So I see, I suppose this is as far as you're going to go." The knight hopped off of the wagon then and donned his helmet before cutting the land dragon free from the cart, allowing it to flee without the unneeded weight.

With a deep breath to steady his nerves, the knight continued his journey on foot, his eyes darting between each side of the road for even the slightest hint of movement. He continued like this for several minutes when it finally happened, the shadows themselves seemed to move as a man wearing the familiar robes of a witch cultist appeared in front of him. In the next instant, a dozen more appeared in a circle around him acting as if they were waiting for something. The knight looked from one cultist to the next until his eyes rested on the one who'd appeared first. 'That's right,' Ulric remembered, 'they wanted me because of the witch's scent.'

"Take me to Betelgeuse," ordered the knight. The apparent lead cultist nodded and held out his hand to his side. This was the signal for the rest of the cultist to scatter, leaving only him and Ulric once again. The cultist then silently signaled for Ulric to follow him into the woods. Ulric did so, glad that his helmet hid the massive scowl that had formed on his face.

The sun had begun rising by this point, allowing him to see a good bit of the forest path that he was being led on. Eventually, they arrived at the familiar sight of a cave that held nothing but horrid memories for the knight, who couldn't help but clench his fists as they entered. As before, it was dank and hardly lit, leading Ulric to wonder how in the world the cultists managed to get even the slightest task accomplished when they could barely see. Then he heard it, the voice of the man he'd come to hate most in this world.

As they arrived in the large room in the cave, there stood Betelgeuse Romanee Conti' in its center, directing a few other cultists. As he noticed them enter, Ulric was more than a little displeased that his restarting of events had also wiped away the burns he'd given the mad man last time they'd met. "Ah, and who might this be," said Betelgeuse as he approached in a manner more akin to slinking than walking, "I can see that the great witch has bestowed much love upon you, Sir Knight, are you perhaps Pride by chance?"

"I am Sir Ulric," replied the knight, "And I came to find you, Betelgeuse Romanee Conti', sin archbishop of sloth."

"Oh, you've been very busy I see, yes very busy," said Betelgeuse as he put a hand to his chin and tilted his head to a degree Ulric wasn't sure was even possible, "To already have such information and yet we know little of you. Oh tragic, tragic, tragic!" The man bent backwards then for a few moments as he continued to rave, "It seems we have been a bit too slothful, how could we not have known of one such as you sooner?!"

"There is one small bit of information I lack," said Ulric, getting the archbishop's attention as the pale man sprung back up with a hand to his ear.

"Oh do tell sir knight, we of the witch's cult must do our duties for the great one after all," Said Betelgeuse with that same, unnerving toothy smile of his.

"It is my to my own embarrassment," said Ulric, "But what is required for the ordeal in this case?"

"Ah yes, the ordeal!" Exclaimed Betelgeuse with his arms held up above his head, "You've come at a splendid, splendid, splendid time for it is upon us! The moment approaches where we shall sacrifice the life of the half elf girl to the great witch and bring ruin upon the world that scorned her! The girl's death shall be the catalyst that will bring about the end!"

"I see," said Ulric as his hand rested on his sword, "And what of the people living near the half elf girl?"

"They shall be the first to die in the ordeal!" Replied Betelgeuse as his hands clutched at his robes and his face contorted, "The path from the village all the way to the half elf shall be the magnificent, yes magnificent, color of blood! Just envisioning such a marvelous sight makes my brain tremble!" The madman was clutching his head once again, barely containing his excitement at the very thought of such an atrocity.

"So that's the reason," said Ulric, "They just happen to be present and so they must die. All the more reason," Ulric drew his sword then and slashed at the mad priest, "That you should all die now!" Betelgeuse shrieked as Ulric managed to take him by surprise a second time, carving a long cut across his chest. He managed to scramble away, however, as the few cultists that remained in the cave charged at Ulric.

But the knight pushed forward, knocking away the first few with a swing of his blade and a wave of mana. More moved to intercept him, only to be cut down or lose a limb as Ulric continued to close the gap against the retreating madman. "What do you think you're doing," questioned a now enraged Betelgeuse as the head of one of his cultists went flying past him, "Why have you betrayed us brother, why, why, why?!"

"I am no brother to scum such as you," said Ulric as he impaled another cult member before using their body to shield himself from a number of throwing knives, "The Turks may have been heretics but at least they had some principles! You are all nothing but blasphemous madmen worshipping a demon!" The knight tossed the dead cultist aside as he charged forward and slashed through even more in his pursuit to reach the mad priest.

"You, you dare lie to all of us," exclaimed Betelgeuse, "You dare to turn your back on our great witch after being granted such love! How dare you, how dare you, HOW DARE YOU!" The sin archbishop raised his arm then. "Authority of Sloth, unseen hand." Suddenly, a pair of shadow hands leapt from his back and stretched across the room towards the knight.

"Jiwald," said Ulric as he put a large amount of his mana into the glow that now surrounded his body. As the hands snatched at the knight, he shot forward underneath them, causing the frightened archbishop to send out two more which also failed to capture their prey as Ulric leapt over one then slid under the other before he was face to face with the mad priest once again. "Such an ironic title, I can see them perfectly," said Ulric as he plunged his blade into Betelgeuse's heart.

"H-how," coughed Betelgeuse as he looked down at the sword in his chest, "This must be a mistake, a mistake! No one should be able to see my authority, the love granted to me by the grea-AAAAAAAAAAGH!" The madman coughed up blood as Ulric buried the blade even deeper into his heart until it was nearly up to the hilt.

"You don't remember it," said Ulric, "But I once explained to you how limited your great witch actually is. But it also occurs to me that I never answered your earlier question about my identity, and the answer is no, I am not pride."

"Y-you blasted HEATHEN!" spat Betelgeuse as a total of eight shadowy hands leapt from his back and grabbed onto the knight in an attempt to pull him away. But Ulric quickly charged the mana in his sword, casting Kito Jiwald on the blade.

"But if I must embody a sin now, then you may call me wrath!" exclaimed Ulric as the orb of light around his blade expanded, blasting a fist-sized hole in Betelgeuse's chest, burning the blood off of his blade as he removed it from the crazed archbishop's chest. Though that didn't stop several other droplets of blood from covering the knight's armor as his adversary collapsed to the floor.

"S-so, this is wrath," wheezed the dying lunatic, "m-my brain t-trembles." The life finally left the monster's eyes after that as his head contorted with his mouth hanging open, a truly grotesque sight. Truthfully, the knight found it quite fitting given that it was such a grotesque man he had slain. Despite that, the knight took one more look around, noting that the cultists were backing away before kneeling with his sword in the ground.

'The battle is over,' thought Ulric as he kneeled to give thanks, 'With the madman slain, the cult is without a leader, at least for the moment. God willing, I have at least bought the people of the Mathers domain some time.' But his prayer was interrupted as the sound of sickening, and hauntingly familiar laughter filled the chamber. "But ho-," Ulric stood to face the voice but wasn't fast enough to avoid the five dark hands that leapt from the shadows which pinned him against the nearest wall.

"How clever, yes so very clever," said a voice that sounded similar, but not quite like Betelgeuse's as another cultist stepped out of the shadows. "I must admit, my own slothful nature allowed me to lose my latest vessel, how shameful, shameful, shameful." The man had light brown hair and a short trimmed beard. But his eyes, were exactly the same as the madman that had just been slain and he contorted his body as if he himself were Betelgeuse Romanee Conti'.

"What demon work is this, who are you?" grunted Ulric as he struggled against the hands, only for a sixth one to knock his sword out of his grasp.

"Surely you recognize me," said the man as he pointed to his head, "It is I, Betelgeuse Romanee' Conti'! At least I am now, for I granted this fortunate soul the honor of being one of my fingers!" He contorted his body again as he held up his hand in the air. "What do you think, I infused this one with witch genes so that my mind would have a spare body! It is the power of possession that has allowed me to live for centuries! Even I am not so slothful as to not have a plan in case of death! Just the thought of my own brilliance makes my brain tremble!"

"Possession," repeated Ulric as he watched the man who'd become Betelgeuse drag his fingers across his head once again. "It's true then, you're not human after all. You're a demon of hell!"

"I am but a humble servant of the witch," said the lunatic archbishop, "I can only possess those who have the witch gene. It is annoying, annoying, annoying to say the least! If I could possess those without the witch gene, I could live for all time and forever serve the great witch! But alas, one must make do, however, your body which has been shown so much love."

The madman put a hand to his chin in thought as he shifted position several times. "Yes, that's it, yes, yes, yes! Your body would do magnificently with the witch gene in it! Oh just the thought of what I could do with one so blessed by the great witch!"

"Your thoughts are as far as it will go monster," said Ulric as his body began glowing with mana, "This body is already at the command of another! I will not allow it to be defiled by the possession of a demon such as yourself, and to insure that I will see to my own cleansing by holy light!"

"Wait, what are you doing," questioned Betelgeuse as the other cultists gathered around their master, "If you draw in that much mana, it won't obey! You'll die, die, DIE!"

"I'm well aware of that," said Ulric as he pushed forward, the air around him so thick with mana that it was blowing away all of the dust and small stones around him. Even the hands couldn't hold him back anymore. "But I know what'll happen if I let you escape. I pledged myself to the crusade of hunting you all down even if it costs me my life! There is no need for you to fear, however, for we will see each other again, as God has allowed me to turn even the curse of your great witch against you."

"No, stay back, stay back, stay back!" yelled the insane priest as he produced two more arms in an attempt to hold the knight back. But it was to no avail as Ulric inched ever closer until the energy within his body became too much. The other cultists leapt at him in a vain attempt to hold him back, but it was too late.

"DEUS VOLT!" Roared the knight in one last battle cry as his body released all of the light magic he'd stored in his body, bathing the cave in a fantastic blue glow and incinerating all caught within its rays.

The Capital: Market District

'I am never going to get used to coming back like this,' thought Ulric as he felt himself suddenly awakening in a now very familiar place. He looked out once more on the many stands set up in the market district, and once again by his side, as she'd been for some time now, was Rem. "Ulric, is everything alright? You looked rather distracted for a moment."

"A strange line of thought has simply occurred to me," said Ulric as they started walking again. "Is there a more private place we could talk nearby?"

"There is an overlook of sorts," said Rem, "But what would we need to talk privately about right now?"

"A number of issues," Said Ulric as he followed Rem, "But I also need to ask something of you." Rem wondered what he'd need to ask her, but she decided to be patient as she led him to one of the stone bridges designed to look like a castle fortification. They offered a good view of the street and another way to cross to the other side while avoiding the mass of wagons that streamed in and out of the town. In this instance, it also offered the added benefit of being relatively private, allowing for a discrete conversation.

"What seems to be troubling you," said Rem before noticing the knight's tired eyes. "I've never seen you this tired before." The maid couldn't help but place a hand on his cheek in order to get a better look at his condition.

"It feels like I've been fighting for days," said Ulric, "No doubt the scent of the witch has gotten stronger around me."

"It has indeed," said Rem, "perhaps we should return to the residence for now and let you rest."

"I'll rest in a bit," said Ulric, "I must make a request of you first Rem, if you'll allow me."

"Rem would be more than happy to help you," said the maid, "What can I do?" Ulric took a deep breath before he spoke.

"Rem, you've been by my side for some time now," Ulric began, "You've helped me in numerous ways and I'll always be grateful for that. But now I must ask you, when the situation starts looking bad, don't die for me."

 **The plan to save the villagers and the inhabitants of the mansion has been derailed by a living legend of a monster. Now, even with a restart, what can this knight hope to do now? Hello everyone, hope you've been having a good week and that you enjoyed this latest chapter. As always, feel free to leave a comment or a review about what you liked/disliked or if you've got a neat idea for a future chapter. Be sure to stop in next time as Rem gives her answer to Ulric's request. 'Til then.**


	23. A Cause to Unite

**A Cause to Unite**

The Capital: Stone Bridge over the Streets

Rem wasn't sure she'd heard right. True, her senses were much better than an average person's but even she misheard from time to time. Had Ulric really just asked her, not to die for him? "Rem doesn't understand," she finally said.

"It's as I said," explained Ulric, "You have a duty and an obligation to both Roswaal and Lady Emilia. There's no need for you to give your life for someone like me, a knight who has already sworn to freely give his own should it prove necessary."

"But I've been charged with helping you," said the maid, "And I'm more than prepared to give my life if it assists you in the end."

"But what about everyone else," questioned Ulric, "Emilia would most certainly be hurt by your loss, and then there's your sister to consider. Trust me when I say, she would never be the same if you died and she would never be able to comprehend why you would die for me. But should I disappear, no lasting damage would be done."

"YOU'RE WRONG!" Rem practically yelled, startling even the knight with the forcefulness of her tone. The maid took a moment before she began speaking again, though she now wore a stern look on her face. "You truly believe that your presence wouldn't be missed? After everything you've done for us, you think Emilia wouldn't be saddened by your loss? What's more, have you even considered that I would never be the same if you disappeared?"

"Rem I've caused you and the others nothing but trouble since I arrived," said Ulric, "This blasted scent on my body endangers everyone around me."

"Lord Roswaal has been expecting trouble for a long time now," said Rem, "He knew the consequences of backing Lady Emilia. Now that her candidacy has been announced, trouble will come whether you're near us or not. I know you are already well aware of that, and you're far too loyal to simply abandon us. So please Ulric, what is this really about?" Ulric grabbed her shoulders then, surprising the maid before he revealed the truth.

"I can't watch you die again!" exclaimed Ulric, "I can't explain it because I'm cursed to silence. But I've had to watch you and Ram and Emilia die again and again! And this latest set of circumstances will almost certainly spell death for at least one of you or our other friends! So I'm begging you now not to risk your life for me!"

Rem took a steady breath as she placed a calming hand on Ulric's cheek. "Rem is willing to do just about anything for you Ulric," she said with a gentle smile, "But simply standing by and watching you die, I could never do that, even if I wanted too." The knight attempted to protest this statement, only to be silenced as she continued. "I am not speaking to you as a maid of Lord Roswaal nor as someone acting under Lady Emilia's instructions. Right now, Rem is speaking for herself as a woman."

She grasped Ulric's right hand then. "It was you who taught me that I could be more than just my sister's shadow, that I was born to be more than just a burden to others. It may have seemed like simple words of encouragement to you, but they were the words I'd been wanting to hear my whole life. It is because of you that I now truly believe I have a purpose, that there's a place in this world for me. You've always humbly introduced yourself as a simple knight serving his new master, but to Rem you are more than that."

Ulric covered her hands with his other hand then as a sudden question began burning in the back of his mind. "What am I too you that you'd want to risk your life for me?"

"First, let me ask you something," said Rem, "Why did you decide to swear your loyalty to Emilia? Was it simply out of a sense of duty? Any debt you owed her you've more than paid for." The knight thought about this question for a moment before coming up with an answer.

"Because I respect her and care for her," Ulric answered, "She was the first person to help me when I arrived and it's because of her that I'm even halfway capable of fighting off the monsters of this world. She doesn't look down on me as a simple extension of her will but as a friend that she values. She even went so far as to name me her personal knight even though I only wished to represent her for a short time. Without her help, I'd likely be a mercenary working under one of the less respectable royal candidates. But most of all, I've come to see her as a dear friend who I don't wish to suffer because of circumstances outside of her control."

"That is so like you," said Rem with an even bigger smile, "despite all you've told me about the horrors you faced in your crusades, you still wish to do the right thing. That's why I know the only reason you asked me not to die for you is because you have a gentle heart that cares for others. Which is all the more reason for me to want to die for you, because to me you're not just a knight. You're a hero, my hero that came and saved me from my own self-inflicted suffering. So I'm more than happy to give my life for you, because you gave it back to me, my wonderful Sir Ulric."

To say the knight was taken aback was something of an understatement. He didn't know when it had happened, but at some point, he'd started looking at Rem as more than just a friend. The pain he'd felt upon seeing her die the first time and his willingness to so quickly end his life to restart events was something he'd passed off as an act of necessity at the time. But upon feeling her life slip away in his arms the second time, he could no longer deny what he felt for her. Could she possibly?

"Are you saying you believe my life is worth more than yours?" Ulric stammered out finally.

"No," replied Rem, "Rem is simply saying that she does not wish to live without you. Because like a maiden in a fairy tale, I've fallen in love with the hero." Ulric sighed at this declaration.

"You deserve better than a knight like me," said Ulric, "Someone strong enough to protect you."

"Rem doesn't care how strong you are," said the maid as she cupped his face with both hands, "You could be a weakling and I'd still love you. Just being by you has made me the happiest I've been in a long time. So even if something awful is about to happen, I still want to be with you to help in any way I can and if I give my life then it will be with a smile because I know the last act I performed in this life was helping the man I love."

"I," Ulric was at a loss for words and simply blurted out the first sentence that came to mind, "I doubt your sister will approve of this." Rem's answer to that was to pull the knight's head closer and capture his lips with hers. For several moments that might as well have been an eternity to them, they stood there, lost in the passionate kiss. Then, sooner than either of them liked, the kiss was over.

"For once, Rem doesn't mind if her sister approves or not," she said with a playful smile, "if the need arises, I'll be the one to protect you from her."

"Well for that to happen, we need a plan," said Ulric as he put a hand on his chin, "Tell me, is there anything in the Mathers domain that could be used for negotiation?"

The Karnstein Mansion

"If I'm understanding you correctly," said Crusch Karnstein, "You wish to form an alliance between my camp and Lady Emilia's camp?"

"It's my belief that we can both help each other," said Ulric, who was once again sitting in the guest chair with Rem standing behind him, "You may call it coincidence but I believe it may be God's will. You see, it's come to my attention and likely yours as well that the Mathers domain is on high alert due to suspicious movement. This is because the witch's cult is threatening those within Roswaal's mansion. What you may not know is that your own target will soon appear near the domain as well."

"And what would I need to target near the Mather's domain," questioned Crusch, lightly cocking her eyebrow.

"If I've put the pieces together correctly," replied Ulric, "You wish to bring down the legendary mabeast, the white whale."

"The white whale you say," Wilhelm suddenly spoke as his gaze intensified. The air around him grew thick then as his body seemed to freely give off an intimidating aura. If Ulric was being honest, he was actually somewhat frightened of the man at the moment. Then, just as quickly, the atmosphere returned to normal as the old swordsman let out a sight before bowing. "Please forgive me, it seems I still need work on controlling myself."

"No need to worry Wilhelm, it is understandable," said Crusch before turning back to Ulric and Rem, "But I do find it surprising that you would mention the white whale in this negotiation."

"Not as surprising as one would think," replied the knight, "Though we began this negotiation by discussing the mining rights to the magic stones in the Elior forest, it is only a secondary incentive. My main offer is information on the next time and location that the white whale will appear. I believe it is the one thing you lack in your plan to bring it down."

"And what has led you to this conclusion about my motives," questioned Crusch.

"Well only you can confirm it," replied Ulric, "But as I mentioned, I've been putting the pieces together. The excessive string of visitors, the mass accumulation of weapons and armor despite there being no clear sign of an attack on you or the kingdom, and merely the fact that the whale itself will soon appear. Though that being said it's more than possible that I've misread the situation."

"Either way," said Crusch, "I'm still curious. How did you acquire such information?"

"That is far more difficult to explain," said Ulric, who'd been dreading this part, "You see I'm physically incapable of telling you the exact method because I've been cursed to remain silent about it. What I can say is I've seen it through an interesting bit of magic that sometimes shows me horrid events about to transpire. It's proven somewhat useful in the past, but always at something of a price. This time it showed me the path along which the white whale will appear and my utter helplessness against such a beast."

"That is something of a difficult story to believe," said Crusch, "But I can tell you're not lying about what you claim to have seen."

"As I mentioned before, I believe we can help each other," said Ulric, "If you'll look back on my conduct up to this point, you'll find I have no reason to lie to you."

"Ny-ot that you could, even if you wanted too," said Felix, who'd been standing to the right of Crusch, "My lady has the mystical protection of wind reading."

"I'm afraid I don't understand," said Ulric, "You read the wind to tell if someone's lying?"

"There is a wind that blows around a person when they are lying," explained the royal candidate, "I can see it when it occurs and you did not have that wind around you."

"Then you know I will do everything I can to deliver on what I've promised," Said Ulric, "But I can only do so if you agree to this alliance."

"It is not as simple as you make it out to be," Said Crusch, "I cannot make a decision such as this lightly. The outcome of the royal selection and potentially the kingdom's very future may rest on what I decide, so it is not something I should do carelessly."

"Then do you mind if I weigh in on this," said a cheerful female voice from outside of the room. The double doors were pushed open then as both Russell Fellow and Anastasia Hoshin, who was now decorated in a white dress with a matching fur hat and cape, came walking in.

"Mr. Fellow and Lady Hoshin," said Crusch, "To what do I owe this unexpected visit?"

"We were invited of course," said Hoshin with a friendly smile, "Though I wish you hadn't started without us Sir Knight."

"My apologies to the both of you," said Ulric, "I should've stressed more about how little time we actually have."

"So this was your doing then, Sir Ulric," questioned Crusch, clearly curious about his intentions.

"To be precise, it was this little lady who set everything up with us," explained Hoshin as she indicated Rem, "From what I understand, you are planning on topplin' the white whale. Given that its presence can spell death for business folk like us, I'd be more than willing to lend my mercenary force to aid in such an endeavor."

"And I'm interested in the proposition to share mining rights for the magic stones in the Mathers domain," said Russell as he put a hand to his chin. "If this alliance goes through, then you can distribute these stones from pristine veins all throughout the capital, Lady Crusch. Being the representative of the merchant guild, I cannot simply leave without hearing such an offer first."

"You planned this all in advance I see," said Crusch as she turned her focus back on Ulric, "A rather clever move on your part, revealing my intentions to subjugate the white whale."

"The beast is a threat to everyone," Said Ulric, "So it only makes sense that we all band together to slay it. And a share in magic stone mining I believe is a small price to pay if it means I can also end a threat to my Lady and her people. Make no mistake, if you agree to this alliance I will ride into battle alongside you and everyone else." The knight stood up then and extended his hand. "This is my offer to you, Duchess Crusch Karnstein, will you allow us to join you in your mission to end a legendary terror once and for all?"

The royal candidate seemed to ponder his words for another few moments before finally sighing. "I can't say I don't have doubts about this," she said, "And I still have a number of questions I would like answered. However, I will grant that you have shown no malice towards us and have acted with the utmost respect in our previous meetings. Therefore," Crusch stood up and extended her own hand, "I shall choose to trust you in this instance."

"Then we are all in agreement," said Russell, "The alliance is now official." Ulric let out a sigh of his own as he let go of Crusch's hand. "I must admit, there was a moment or two where I thought she'd turn you down."

"And for a moment I worried you'd never get here," Ulric replied, "Though given the timing of your entrance, am I to assume you were waiting on the other side of the door?"

"It was up to us when we decided to enter," said Anastasia with a wink, "There's always a precise time to make your move when negotiatin'."

"I'll try to keep that in mind if I somehow find myself in this position again," said Ulric with a bit of a shrug.

"Now then," said Hoshin, "I'd best be off, though do feel free to patronize the Hoshin company a bit as you're getting ready for the subjugation." With that, the merchant royal candidate exited the room.

"I must compliment your shrewdness," said Crusch, "Setting this all up before even coming to meet with me."

"In all honesty," said Ulric, "I was half afraid I wasn't prepared enough. So I am more than grateful for the trust you've put in us."

"It is I who am grateful to you," said Wilhelm as he approached Rem and Ulric before bowing, "In fact the gratitude I offer you now is equal to the gratitude I have given my Lady Crusch Karnstein. As you know, my family name is Astrea. What you may not know is that I took the name when I married my wife, Theresa Van Astrea. Now you've given this old man the chance to finally slay the foul mabeast that took her away."

"And it is my hope that you will be successful in that endeavor," said Ulric, "If there's one thing I understand, it's someone on a crusade."

The Karnstein War Camp: That Night

It was a scene Ulric had become all too familiar with. Numerous wagons and tents were currently set up outside the Karnstein mansion as various knights and warriors went about their tasks. Some were loading supplies while others were taking stock of their weapons and armor. Ulric was among those checking his armor while also examining his sword under one of the trees of the mansion. "Still awake I see," said Felix as he approached the knight.

"The anticipation of battle always makes it difficult for me to sleep," replied Ulric as he adjusted one of his gauntlets, "And I feel as if I should be doing something while everyone else is working."

"There is ny-o choice but to work through the night," said Felix, "according to your information, the whale shall appear at Flugel's tree tomorrow night. Even setting out early tomorrow, we'll barely arrive in time."

"I do wish we had more time to prepare," said Ulric, "Battles can be lost before they even begin if care isn't taken in readying one's troops."

"It's only thanks to you that ny-all of our preparations are paying off," Felix pointed out, "Everyone here wants to be rid of the white whale. Old Man Wil most of all wants to see it dead."

"I can more than imagine," said Ulric, "though I do find it terribly ironic. I have no actual desire to end the white whale myself, it's just an obstacle to the true targets of my own crusade. But I suppose that's why the priests are always saying 'Who can fathom the mind of the lord?'"

"Well either way there's ny-ot much you can do right now," said Felix with his hands behind his back, "So you'd best get some sleep." The demi-human turned and walked away, laughing in his usual strange manner that resembled a mewling cat. 'Well he's not wrong,' thought Ulric, 'tomorrow is looking to be quite the grand event. Let's just hope we're not ill-prepared for what we're about to face.'

The Next Morning

"I'm afraid I'm at a bit of a loss," said Ulric as he walked down the line of ground dragons, "what little expertise I have when it comes to a mount is horses."

"Well I don't kny-ow what those are supposed to be," said Felix, who had donned his knight uniform, "So unless you'd rather ride a liger, this is what we have."

"A liger," said Ulric with a raised eyebrow, "What manner of beast is that?"

"One of those," said Felix as he pointed towards what must've been the largest wolves Ulric had ever laid eyes on. "They hail from Kararagi and the Iron Fang likes to make use of them as mounts. I personally don't care for them."

"Well it's always been said that cats and dogs don't get along," said Ulric as he approached some of the resting creatures. "But aside from the obvious, how do these ligers differ from a ground dragon?"

"If I recall," said Rem, "They're actually physically weaker compared to ground dragons. But they possess greater speed and endurance."

"Speed and endurance you say," said Ulric as he slowly extended his hand to the nearest liger, a large one with steely grey and white fur. The liger sniffed his hand curiously before rubbing its muzzle against it, allowing the knight to scratch its chin. "Well given that what we intend to fight can give quite a chase, I believe I'll need all the speed I can get. So if it all possible, I'd like to ride this one."

"You'll have to talk to Lady Hoshin about that," said Felix as he crossed his arms with a frown, "I'll have nyo-thing to do with one of those."

"As you say," said Ulric as he scratched the contented liger's ear.

Assembly Hall of the Karnstein Mansion

Ulric stood in the large hall with Rem right beside him as he looked out over the large crowd of warriors that had gathered. Men and women both were present, all having donned various types of clothing or armor for the upcoming battle. So thick was the crowd that the knight almost didn't notice when a large, clawed hand reached down for his head. "By the pope," he exclaimed while ducking under the limb and reaching for his sword.

"Easy there," said the largest demi-human Ulric had ever seen. He resembled a humanoid wolf with brown fur and a mane of hair that went down his back. He wore black bracers on his arms and black pants that allowed his brown tail to stick out the back. His bare chest was adorned with a strap that held a rather large sword on his back and a black shoulder pauldron with red lettering. "I heard about you from my lady, it seems you've got center stage for this little show."

"My apologies," said Ulric as he removed his hand from his sword, "I've simply met one imposing figure after another lately, so I'm a little on edge. Am I to assume by that mark on your armor that you've come here with Lady Hoshin?"

"That's right," said the demi-human as he placed a hand on his shoulder in what was supposed to be a friendly gesture. "I'm the head of her mercenary team, you can call me Ricardo. And of course it's a pleasure to meet you as well little lady." Rem bowed in her usual formal style of greeting. "Anyway, I came by to let you know that you're all set to ride the liger you picked out, it's always refreshing to meet someone who's got good tastes in mounts."

"It's not that I dislike the ground dragons," said Ulric as he tried not to flinch at Ricardo's massive grip on his shoulder that he was able to feel even despite the chainmail. "I just simply believe the liger will offer a better advantage in this particular fight."

"Well either way I'm looking forward to ridin' out there with ya," said Ricardo with an extra toothy smile, "Now I need to get goin', it seems my lady needs to talk to me." The large demi-human finally released his grip then as he lumbered over to where Anastasia was currently standing. 'I'm most certainly glad I'm not riding against you,' thought Ulric, rubbing his shoulder as Crusch Karnstein approached.

"So that's the Iron Fang," said Crusch as she glanced over to where Ricardo was at, "they do look as formidable as their reputation. And how about you, sir knight? Did you rest well?"

"As well as could be expected I suppose," replied Ulric, "It's hard to get a full night's sleep with such an undertaking as this about to occur. Though you seem more than ready to lead the charge." The knight couldn't help but notice that the duchess of the Karnstein family had donned her own set of silver armor over her usual attire with a few gold accents and a red cape streaming down the back of it. She had also put her hair up into a ponytail.

"I may be the commander of this force, but you should know by now that I'm not the type to sit behind the front lines waiting for the news of a battle's outcome," said Crusch with a hand on her hip. "I hope it doesn't grate against your pride too much to be taking orders from someone besides Lady Emilia."

"If it will allow me to protect my lady in the end, I'm more than willing to fight under someone else's command for the time being," answered Ulric with a slight bow. "And besides, I've been looking forward to seeing your skill with a blade. It's quite a sight from what I've been told."

"And I'm curious to see if Wilhelm's measure of you is accurate," said Crusch with a slight smirk, "I suppose we should do our best not to disappoint each other." Ulric was about to reply to that when the sound of marching footsteps drew his and everyone else's attention to one of the entrances to the assembly hall. A number of soldiers wearing thin black coats with armor plating over them had entered the room and were moving in formation right for Ulric and Crusch, with the rest of the crowd parting to let them through. "It seems they've made it at last."

Ulric wasn't sure how to respond to that as the group of apparent knights stopped in front of them before saluting with a fist over their chests. "Greetings Lady Crusch," Said the lead knight, a man with bluish grey hair in a military style buzz cut, "We've come to fulfill our duties as ordered and readily await your command." The lead knight relaxed then as he turned his gaze on Ulric. "Is this the young knight you spoke of?"

"He is indeed," she confirmed. The lead knight stepped forward then and grasped Ulric's arm with both of his hands.

"I would like to extend you our gratitude," said the lead knight as he shook a confused Ulric's hand, "Thanks to you, the wish we have sought for so long may now finally be granted. Should we succeed, we shall be in your debt." The lead knight released his hand then before bowing to Crusch and then proceeded to lead those under his command over to where Wilhelm was currently waiting.

"It seems just about everyone here has not come for simple glory, but because of their own history with the white whale," said Rem.

"They look older than typical soldiers," Ulric noted, "They aren't coming out of retirement for this are they?"

"Like Wilhelm, these men have indeed retired from the front line," explained Crusch, "In fact they are here by his invitation, donning their armor one last time to prevent others from becoming like them. You needn't fear for them, however, they have experience that puts them on almost equal footing with the currently active knights."

"A chance to end a lifelong crusade," Ulric mused aloud as Felix approached to inform Crusch that it was time to assemble. The royal candidate nodded before signaling for everyone to file into a block formation with a path left down the middle. The green-haired woman stood at the front of the assembly hall where all eyes could see her, with Wilhelm at her right and Felix on her left. With a quick raise of her hand, the entire assembly of knights and warriors quieted down, waiting to hear what she had to say.

"It has been four hundred years," said Crusch, "four hundred years since the white whale was unleashed by the jealous witch and made the world its hunting grounds. And throughout those four hundred years, it has trampled upon numerous lives and ravaged the land as if it was its own. Countless graves that we cannot even mark with a name have been left behind in this beast's wake. But today, this four hundred years of helplessly running for our lives ends! All of us gathered here shall be the instruments of the white whale's demise!"

As the royal candidate spoke, it was easy to see what this meant to everyone. Numerous warriors were shaking with rage, holding their heads up in determination and in a number of cases even shedding tears as the speech continued. "We shall at last grant a long overdue peace to those both living and dead who have lost something to this beast!" Crusch drew her sword then as she gave the order. "We move out to Flugel's tree to bury the white whale once and for all!" This declaration was met with a thunderous cheer as the subjugation force set out to face a legend.

 **Quick question, did anyone else feel a lot less sorry for Subaru after the line 'I love Emilia'? Back on topic, it seems our knight has finally gotten a fighting force together, but will it be enough to bring down a four hundred year old mabeast? In the meantime, I hope you all enjoyed this latest chapter and as always feel free to leave a comment or review about what you liked/disliked or if you've got any neat ideas for future chapters. Be sure to stop in next time as the battle beneath Flugel's tree commences. 'Til then.**


	24. All Out War On The Whale

**All Out War On The Whale**

Beneath Flugel's Tree

Night had fallen, leaving the torches at the camp and the light of the moon and stars as the only sources of illumination. Even despite the darkness, however, Ulric was still in awe as he gazed up at the massive size of the landmark known as Flugel's tree. It was wider and taller than any castle tower he'd ever seen as it appeared to reach into the very clouds. "You said a wise man planted this behemoth of a tree?" questioned Ulric as he felt the rough texture of the bark with his gauntleted hand.

"According to legend, yes," replied Rem who was standing a short distance away, "It's been a sight to behold for countless travelers and scholars alike."

"It is quite a way to leave a mark on the world," said Ulric, "though it does lead me to wonder if his wisdom was limited to finding good spots for plants."

"It's difficult to say," said Rem as she put a finger to her chin, "This tree was here long before I was born, so the legend itself is somewhat vague."

"Well if this campaign is successful, perhaps we could ask Puck or Beatrice the next time we see them." Said Ulric as he turned back towards the maid.

"If I'm being completely honest," said Rem, "I'm against using the scent of the witch on your body to draw the white whale here. That mabeast is incredibly dangerous and the idea of having it focus on you is more than a little unnerving."

"I do understand your concern," said Ulric as he leaned against the tree with his arms crossed, "But we know so little about the whale other than the fact that it's a mabeast and some of its abilities. I only suggested using the witch's scent because I know with certainty that it will work to attract the monster. Even if Lady Crusch didn't approve of it, though, the whale would still target me. Since there's no escaping that fact, I decided I may as well ride out to meet it."

"Then you won't be riding out alone," said Rem as she walked up and took his arm before leaning her head against his shoulder. "Rem will be going with you, and I won't take no for an answer."

"I doubt I could stop you," said Ulric as he covered her hand with his, "I still have to remind myself that these same delicate hands are capable of tossing me over your shoulder if you so desired."

"I much prefer using them to hold onto you like this," said Rem. "For a little while now, I'd actually dreamt of being alone with you on a night like this. As peaceful as it is right now it's almost hard to believe it shall soon become a battlefield."

"The stillness before battle," Ulric said, "Me and my fellow crusaders found it, disconcerting at times. It always seemed like the land knew what was about to transpire and was holding its breath to see when it would begin."

"But we know when it will begin," said Rem, "And thanks to you, we'll be ready for when the whale arrives."

"God willing we'll be ready," said Ulric as he pushed off the tree and headed back towards the camp with Rem. It was a quiet walk until they came upon an interesting sight. Wilhelm, who was currently armed with six swords that he'd referred to as 'sabers,' was standing over a bed of yellow flowers that were growing out in the field. "Sir Wilhelm, is something troubling you?"

"I wouldn't say I'm troubled," replied Wilhelm, "simply contemplating the delusions of an old man."

"Given how many people are here of varying ages and even races, I'd hardly call them delusions of just an old man," said Ulric. "We all have something we wish to make a reality today."

"You speak the truth," said Wilhelm, "I suppose at my age I can't help but look back on my life, especially considering the potential outcome of this undertaking."

"You loved your wife with all your heart, didn't you," said Rem, "even despite her being gone all these years, you still wish to take up your sword for her." Wilhelm didn't answer immediately as he turned to face the both of them.

"I loved her more than anyone or anything in this world," said Wilhelm, "Despite her prowess as the sword master, she never truly wished to wield a blade. No, her passion was in the simple beauty of life. I remember she'd always find time to look at the flowers. But the sword loved her over anyone else and so she chose to follow the path laid out for her. When she became my wife, I attempted to take that burden from her but the sword wouldn't allow it."

Wilhelm bowed then before continuing. "So I once again thank you for giving me this opportunity, Sir Ulric. I need look no further than my blade to find my purpose today and perhaps I will be able to finally visit the grave of my wife."

"I pray that we all find success today," said Ulric as he held out his hand, "to the end of a nightmare." Wilhelm agreed as the two shook hands before proceeding back to the camp. All the preparations were set, the only thing left to do was await the whale's arrival.

All the gathered troops were set up in formation as everyone kept an eye out for their quarry. Rem sat upon the liger Ulric had picked out, whose name they'd been told was Spiegel, while the knight himself was once again kneeling with his sword in the ground, silently praying to God above for a victory. "Will it arrive soon," questioned Crusch as she pulled up next to them on her ground dragon.

"When the moon becomes visible, yes," said Ulric as he stood up, "I can't tell you from which direction it will appear but it will appear." Crusch simply nodded her head as Ulric climbed onto Spiegel's back with Rem, awaiting the moment of battle. Every eye was darting back and forth across the landscape and sky, searching for the beast. The minutes seemed to drag on and on as silence continued to reign over the grassland.

"Can you smell anything Rem," questioned Ulric as he continued to scan the sky for their quarry.

"Yes," said Rem, "It's faint, but I can smell the scent of mabeast whenever the wind shifts towards us." 'It's here then,' thought Ulric, 'but where?'

"Up there, to our left!" yelled a soldier a couple of lines back. Everyone looked to the direction he was pointing, Flugel's tree, which now had a massive shadow passing over it. 'It's casting a shadow, but the only way it could do that at night is if.' The knight turned his head towards the largest source of light, the moon. Everyone else turned their heads as well, likely coming to the same conclusion.

It was then they saw it up in the sky, a massive shadow on the moon that seemed to grow larger with each passing second. The closer it got the more its shape came into focus until it flew over their heads and circled around the area. The white whale had at last arrived. The entire fighting force stared in awe at the monster, hardly seeming to believe it was real at first. That was until someone made the first move.

"Al huma!" yelled Rem as she fired half a dozen large ice shards into the whale's underside. Ulric accompanied her attack with his own ball of light which caused a small explosion in the same area.

"The enemy I promised you all is here!" yelled Ulric as he held his sword above his head, "Do not falter now! DEUS VULT!" They charged then, all hesitation from his first encounter with the whale gone. Shortly after that, they heard Crusch yell out a command for everyone to advance as a collection of war cries sounded behind them.

The whale directed its gaze downward at the approaching troops, seeming indifferent until several blasts of light energy bombarded it from the back lines of the subjugation force. 'I had a hard time believing such a weapon existed,' thought Ulric as he looked up at the massive cloud of smoke created by the blasts, 'But these so-called magic 'cannons' are incredible. Just think how easily we could've toppled fortresses in the crusades with such weapons!'

"You'd best shield your eyes," said Rem from her place in the front of the saddle, "They're firing the night-banisher now." The knight wanted to question just how it was supposed to banish this kind of darkness, but he didn't have time as a streaking light was fired into the air like a shooting star. In the next instant, it exploded in a brilliant flash that seemed to hang in the air and illuminate the entire surrounding area.

"That's incredible," said Ulric as he had to hold his hand over his eyes for a bit, "It's almost like the story of God extending the day for the Israelites." Rem would've replied to this, but the white whale let out a massive, echoing roar that created a surprising amount of force. A cloud of dust was blown up in everyone's faces as they were forced to stop for a moment to allow it to clear. When they could finally see again, the threat was in full view.

'So that's the white whale,' thought Ulric as he gazed at the creature writhing around in the sky, clearly not used to so much light. It was pure white, resembling a massive bulbous fish with two main fins on each side, a pair of fins on its back, as well as a final one near its tail. Those and its split tail all possessed some type of red veins and a purple magic circle hovered above the monster. 'It's larger than any fairy tale monster I've ever heard of.'

"Are you frightened of it, Sir Knight," asked Rem, who didn't seem visibly scared in the least.

"I'd be lying if I claimed to not be so," said Ulric as he gripped his sword tighter, "But we can't very well turn back after I yelled not to falter. So we must charge ahead and play our role." Rem nodded her head in agreement as she urged Spiegel to begin running underneath the whale. It didn't take long for their quarry to notice them as it dove straight down towards them, surprisingly quickly. 'How can something that massive descend with such speed?' thought Ulric.

As the whale's jaws were about to enclose around them, a massive slash of air cut into the side of its snout, causing the beast to recoil in agony. "That was Crusch's phantom sword art," observed Rem as they pulled away from their pursuer, "It's able to deal damage with little to no regard for range."

"A skill that can deal that kind of damage without the sword even touching its opponent," said Ulric as they pulled around, "I'm astounded anyone is even capable of surviving a war in this land." And an astounding sight it was as another barrage from the magic cannons finally forced the whale to direct its attention to the rest of the subjugation force. But Crusch was one step ahead of this as she ordered the main force to disperse into two large groups on either side of the whale while Wilhelm himself rode out on his red ground dragon.

The master swordsman quickly dismounted as the white whale raced towards him, its gigantic maw dragging along the ground as it prepared to swallow its would-be prey. But even despite his age, Wilhelm was still a sword master, a fact he demonstrated by leaping an incredible distance into the air before landing on the back of the white whale with two of his sabers drawn, carving a massive wound in the process. The mabeast reared back in agony as it took to the sky again, writhing with each new cut that appeared in its back from the swordsman. 'I knew I still had a lot to learn,' thought Ulric as he watched another wound on the whale erupt in a shower of blood, 'but to think a single person in this land could possess such power in their blade skills alone. God has truly blessed the Astrea family.'

This didn't mean the battle was anywhere near over, however, as the whale finally managed to fling Wilhelm off of its back and pursued him towards the earth. His ground dragon was quicker, fortunately, and managed to catch the swordsman before running to safety. This also created an opening for Ricardo, Mimi, and several members of the Iron Fang to leap in and slash at the beast's unprotected left side before scattering to allow for another attack by Crusch's phantom sword. The result was another opening that showered parts of the battlefield in blood as the white whale howled in pain.

"Aim for it's flank!" Ordered Crusch to a number of magic users wearing white robes with black and red-lined hoods. They responded by each firing a massive flame blast from their hands, creating a deadly bombardment of fireballs that impacted against the entire left side of their quarry. The resulting explosion was so powerful that Ulric couldn't hear a single sound over it and the smoke cloud was so large he'd actually lost sight of the white whale. 'Did that manage to bring it down,' he thought as he waited for the smoke to clear.

"That attack should have brought it to the ground," said Rem as she narrowed her eyes, "But it's not falling." Ulric squinted his eyes a bit and found that she was right. Though every shot had been a direct hit, the white whale still hung in the air, stubbornly refusing to go down.

"How is that monster's skin not cooked to the bone already," questioned Ulric as the Iron Fang regrouped.

"It seems that flying hunk of meat is tougher than we thought," said Ricardo as he pulled up next to them, "We threw our best shots at it right from the start."

"From what I can tell, those scales on its body are reinforced with white hairs underneath," said Rem, "They've been scattering the impacting mana and neutralizing the force from our other attacks." This point was made even more clear as another volley of light magic from the cannons impacted and still failed to bring down the whale.

"Then we're just going to have to carve it up until it bleeds out then," said Ulric as he began gathering mana to his blade, causing it to glow blue. "Time to bring the fight to the whale!"

"That's what I like to hear!" exclaimed Ricardo as he pointed his cleaver sword towards the whale. "Everyone form up and charge!" The rest of the Iron Fang gathered behind Ricardo, Ulric and Rem as they rushed forward and leapt off a nearby rock formation. The Liger's incredible jumping ability allowed them to seemingly sail through the air and land on the whale's large right fin where they all began carving into the nearest piece of flesh they could find.

Ulric and Rem took turns leaping on and off of Spiegel, with Ulric casting Jiwald to increase his speed and cutting ability with his blade while Rem tore hole after small hole into the monster's skin with her flail. The rest of the Iron Fang attacked from their mounts in a similar manner while Wilhelm once again managed to leap onto his quarry and continued carving massive, bloody trails in his wake. He even managed to slice open one of the creature's massive yellow eyes with his blade before falling back towards the ground again.

But Ricardo had made it back to the grassland before him and used the flat of his cleaver-like blade as a platform to launch the master swordsman back up to the white whale. In a masterful show of skill, Wilhelm used this opportunity to carve out the mabeast's eye, causing it to fall out of its socket onto the ground. Wilhelm then proceeded to stab the orb and hold it up with an actual smile on his face, savoring the scene of the dying monster. 'We might actually still have a chance,' thought Ulric as he and Rem both landed back on the ground atop Spiegel.

That was when the situation turned as the color of the white whale's remaining eye shifted from yellow to blood red. The mabeast's glands opened up then as it let out the most deafening roar yet. 'Or perhaps we only succeeded in greatly angering it,' thought Ulric as he, Rem and just about everyone else was forced to hold their ears closed to keep from losing their hearing to the tremendous amount of noise. The whale followed this by finally releasing its fog from the numerous glands on its body, blanketing the sky and the surrounding area in darkness once more.

"Hold on," said Rem as she pulled the reins and headed back towards the rest of the subjugation force. All around them, the call to retreat was being sounded while also being accompanied by the sound of soldiers dying. They quickly discovered why as Rem quickly maneuvered them out of the way of a mass of what appeared to be white scales that tore a ditch into the ground where they'd just been.

"That substance runs like an out of control river," said Ulric as they continued to retreat, "if we're hit by that, it's over." Rem nodded in agreement before another sound reached their ears, the sound of Crusch's phantom sword swinging in every direction. Each slash was accompanied by a blast of wind that slowly but surely cleared up the fog in the immediate area. This also allowed them to get a view of the chaos the battle had become as the royal candidate was getting reports on losses. But there was something strange about how they were being reported.

'They know men were lost but don't seem to have any idea who,' thought Ulric, 'But how could that be?' Even the old soldiers who should've known each other for years had no idea who it was that was lost. "Rem," asked the knight, "Is there magic in this world that can erase memories?"

"Yes," replied Rem, "It's not terribly common but there are magic users who can wipe out the memories from one's mind."

"Is it possible a mabeast could possess such an ability?" Questioned Ulric.

"It may very well explain everyone's inability to recall who's been lost," said Rem, "The fog of the white whale could be erasing traces of its victim's very existence." A memory flashed in Ulric's mind then, of the time he was riding with Otto and the rider next to them disappeared. 'That explains why he acted like he'd never seen the merchant with the bandana. He didn't remember, or rather couldn't.' It was a lot for the knight to comprehend, but he didn't have time to ponder it as Wilhelm, Ricardo and the rest of the Iron Fang arrived.

"It is good to see you are unharmed my lady," said Wilhelm, "What are the casualties like?"

"Twenty one of our troops are gone," replied Crusch, "We're short a platoon now and we don't even know the faces of the ones lost." Ulric noticed Wilhelm grip his sword tighter at this news, likely cursing himself for not ending the fight sooner. "Now that it's released its fog we won't be able to see where it will be coming from to attack. We must disperse immediately to avoid giving it an easy tar-."

But before she could finish, a high pitched wailing interrupted her that seemed to come from all around them. 'What's going on,' thought Ulric as he put a hand to his head in confusion, 'this shrieking sounds so close, like the sound is right in my ear drums.' Whatever it was, the noise seemed to be even worse for a number of the soldiers who fell off their own mounts, yelling in agony as they clawed at their arms or faces. 'Have they gone mad,' thought Ulric as he hopped off of Spiegel to check on the nearest soldier.

"The voice is coming from the fog," said Rem, who was also holding her head, "It's attempting to affect our minds. In a way it's like mana sickness but on a worse scale."

"How do we stop it," asked the knight as he looked around at the gathered soldiers. He noted that some weren't hardly affected at all while others seemed to be going insane. Ulric himself didn't notice the slightest problem with his own mind except for the fading voice.

"It will settle shortly," said Rem as she shook her head, regaining some of her bearings.

"Felix," Ordered Crusch, who was thankfully also unaffected by the shrieking, "gather the unaffected and have them tend to the wounded." The cat knight did as instructed as he dismounted his own ground dragon and began applying a healing spell to the nearest screaming soldier.

"Lady Crusch," said Ulric, "Do we have a way to move the wounded from the battlefield?"

"I'm afraid we'll have our hands full just getting aid to them all," replied the royal candidate, "If the whale attacks now, we'll be extremely vulnerable."

"Then I'll buy you all some time," said Ulric as he climbed back onto Spiegel, "Just try to move quickly."

"Wait, what do you plan on doing," questioned Crusch with a bit of confusion.

"Ride straight into the maw of a legendary terror," answered Ulric before turning to Rem. "It'll be dangerous, you don't need to come with me."

"Rem thought you knew better," she said with a smirk, "I'll follow you wherever I have too." Ulric nodded as Rem snapped the reins on Spiegel's saddle, causing the liger to take off into the fog. The knight didn't listen to Crusch's protests as he put his plan into action.

"Alright, so this is my secret," said Ulric, making sure that at least Rem heard him, "I know of certain events because I can come back from-." He couldn't finish his sentence as a familiar darkness closed around him and a ghostly hand seemed to grip his heart. It only lasted for a moment, but that was still enough to terrify the knight slightly before he felt himself come back to reality. "Did it work, is the witch's scent stronger now?"

"You're positively rank with it," replied Rem as they continued to ride, "The whale won't be able to resist something so foul smelling."

"Let's try not to hurt my self-esteem now," said Ulric, "I do bathe when I can. But at least we know it'll work." And far more effectively than he could've hoped, because hardly a minute later the whale's massive jaws were opening right in front of them.

"Al Huma!" yelled Rem, barely reacting in time as a large ice spike raised from the ground and impaled the whale's bottom jaw. Ulric followed up with a light orb into the side of the monster's mouth, forcing it to veer off to the side. It was supposed to give them a small window of breathing room, but the mabeast's red eye appeared right next to them almost immediately after the last one departed.

The maid and the knight readied their spells once again, until Wilhelm and the rest of the Iron Fang came sailing out of nowhere, jabbing their weapons into the monster while Mimi and her twin brother bombarded it with some kind of high powered yells. 'So much for playing decoy,' thought Ulric as they watched their quarry take to the sky to shake off Wilhelm and Ricardo, losing its back fin to the swordsman in the process. 'That'll buy us a little more time, but not much.' He looked back to see Wilhelm and the Iron Fang forming up behind them, all eyes peeled for even the slightest sign of movement.

As it turned out, that movement came from above them as a massive amount of the whale's fog fell towards them like a waterfall. "Everyone scatter!" yelled Ricardo as they just barely managed to move out of the way of the falling substance. But they couldn't avoid the force of the impact as it sent them all flying to one degree or another.

Ulric and Rem managed to hit the ground and roll back up to their feet, with Spiegel only taking a glancing blow. But several members of the Iron Fang landed harder and Wilhelm was struggling to get to his feet. "Look out!" yelled Ricardo as the whale appeared yet again right in front of the old sword master.

The next few moments were pure horror as Ricardo raced as fast as his liger could carry him towards Wilhelm, but it wasn't fast enough. The mabeast's jaws dug up the earth with the old man on it and closed around him, trapping its prey within before flying upwards towards the sky again. Despite this, Ricardo still charged forward only to be rammed by the whale appearing yet again, bloodying his mount and slamming the Iron Fang leader onto the ground. 'Something's not right,' thought Ulric, 'Even if it is fast to a degree, that monster shouldn't have been able to twist around and strike from that angle so quickly. In fact, the frequency of its attacks has been all wrong for the last few minutes, like there's-.'

He saw it then as he looked up, as did everyone else. There was more than one shadow circling overhead. The reason the white whale seemed to be everywhere at once was because two more had spawned out of seemingly nowhere. Now they had to contend with not one, but three legendary mabeasts.

 **Piss it off and two more shall arise. Wait, that's not right. What is for sure is that a difficult task has become a frightening fight for survival as the remainder of the subjugation force must contend with even more white whales. What will be their next move? In the meantime, I hope you all enjoyed this latest chapter and as always feel free to leave a comment or a review about what you liked/disliked or if you've got a neat idea for future chapters. Be sure to stop in next time as our heroes must race to figure out the whale's secret. 'Til then.**


	25. Rise and Fall of Legends

**Rise and Fall of Legends**

Flugel's Tree

It was like a nightmare that refused to end, or rather, a nightmare that continued to get worse. They'd managed to take the white whale by surprise initially and inflict numerous wounds on the monster. But it proved far more resilient than any of them had expected as it managed to release its fog and throw the entire subjugation force into confusion. What was more, it destroyed their advantage of numbers against it by the arrival of two more white whales, one of which had managed to wound Ricardo while another had scooped up Wilhelm in its jaws.

'What will we do without the sword master and the leader of the Iron Fang,' thought Ulric as he and Rem maneuvered Spiegel out of the way of one of the three whales. 'The rest of the fighting force's moral has dropped to the point of hopelessness, only a few of the fighters even look like they want to continue this battle.' It was then that a realization suddenly occurred to the knight. "Rem," said Ulric, "can you still remember Wilhelm?"

"I can," replied Rem, "I can even tell you which whale's mouth he's currently inside with my sense of smell."

"Then that one will be our first target," said Ulric as he steered Spiegel towards the whale nearest to the ground.

"Do you have a plan Sir Ulric," questioned Rem as she readied her flail and produced her glowing horn from her head.

"Something of the sort," he replied as he turned his head and yelled out to the rest of the fighting force. "Everyone! Wilhelm still lives! If we target this whale we can prevent it from swallowing him, so keep fighting!"

If he received an answer, he didn't hear it as Rem leapt off of Spiegel and onto the whale while Ulric circled around to the other side before activating Jiwald and leaping onto the whale himself. They wasted no time as they both carved up the monster with their respective abilities, with Rem smashing gaping holes with her flail while the knight tore long cuts around its body. Their foe writhed in agony as it twisted its body from side to side before finally throwing off Ulric, who was caught by the timely arrival of Spiegel. Rem followed shortly after with the knight catching her in his arms. "Thank you Ulric," said the oni girl with a cheerful smile.

"A good knight is also a gentleman," replied Ulric with a smile of his own, despite the situation, "Are you holding up well enough to keep fighting?"

"I'll fight as long as you keep fighting," replied Rem as she readied herself to jump up again. Ulric nodded as they repeated their attack against the first whale, inflicting even more injuries to it before being thrown off and landing back on Spiegel. But as they were coming around for another attack, a wave of fog from another one of the whales threatened to fall on their heads.

"PHANTOM SWORD!" yelled a familiar voice as a slash of wind dispersed the fog and cut into the attacking whale. Taking a quick second to look back, they saw Crusch Karnstein coming up to ride beside them on her white ground dragon. "This is a relatively dismal situation," said Crusch, "Have you any idea where Wilhelm is?"

"He is in the mouth of the whale back there," Rem pointed to one of the whales circling back towards them, "given that we still remember him it means he has yet to be swallowed or erased by the fog."

"That is excellent news," said Crusch, "But do you not think this situation a bit strange?"

"How so," questioned Ulric as they circled around the battlefield to avoid a swipe by another one of the whales.

"This whale is a legendary mabeast yet there was never any mention of it hunting in a group," explained Crusch, "It seems impossible that we wouldn't know such an important detail. I'm certain there must be some other kind of trick at play here."

"Well we'd best figure that out fast if it's the case," said Ulric as they stopped by the line of remaining troops, "Rem and I will keep hacking away at the beast that has Wilhelm. The whales will likely keep focusing on me so if possible could you keep the other two occupied?"

"I'll do what I can," replied Crusch with a nod as Ulric and Rem rode back out to meet the whale again. The royal candidate pointed her sword at the nearest one of their enemies as it bared down on them. "OPEN FIRE!" but her order was met with silence. She ordered again more sternly this time but still her troops refused to fire. Turning to look at them, she saw each and every one of her mages was apparently too terrified to move before, with a yell of frustration, she began unleashing slash after slash against the nearest whale in hopes of doing some kind of damage.

Meanwhile, Ulric and Rem were now taking turns jumping on and off the whale that still had Wilhelm while the other one rode on Spiegel. 'My mana is starting to run low,' the knight realized as he tried slicing up one of the fog producing glands, 'and Rem is getting tired as well. If we don't rally the troops and resume attacking soon we'll faint from exhaustion long before killing these beasts.' The knight then leapt back down onto Spiegel as Rem took over trying to smash the glands closed.

But without adequate support fire from the mages he was forced to dodge around more blasts of fog that came raining down at him. He was also vulnerable to being charged by one of the other whales that came baring down on his position with its massive jaw ready to swallow him and part of the ground whole. At the last second, however, a familiar pair of high-powered screams shot through the fog and forced his pursuer to divert its course. "You two are okay," said Ulric as Mimi and her brother, Hetaro, pulled up alongside him.

"We managed to get the remaining Iron Fang back into the fight," said Hetaro, indicating the numerous white-robed figures hanging off one of the whales while cutting into it, "We'll back up Lady Crusch until the captain's fully healed. Once he's back we should be able to rally the remaining troops."

"So that giant of a wolf man is still alive," said Ulric, "I should've known he was too tough to die that easily."

"It was tricky carrying him back," said Mimi, "Which reminds me, before he went unconscious he gave us a message. 'That thing is a lot lighter than it was before, otherwise I'd be dead right now.'" If the situation wasn't so harrowing Ulric might've laughed at her imitation of the Iron Fang captain. As it was he did have a question.

"Getting lighter," Ulric repeated, "as in the monster's lost mass somehow? But how could it lose mass when all it's done is eat-?" That's when a memory flashed through the knight's head of a time Rodrick had been explaining one of their strategies before a battle.

Flashback 1185: A Battlefield in the Middle East

"This seems like a risky strategy," said Ulric as he rode alongside Rodrick in a basic battle formation, "How do we know the enemy's entire fighting force won't simply chase after us? We're practically dangling the entire cavalry and a few other non-cavalry units in front of the enemy as mere bait."

"Because they think they outnumber us," explained Rodrick, "But the enemy also knows they can't leave the area they're stationed unguarded. So if their commander behaves like we hope, he'll send out a large detachment but not the whole fighting force, allowing us to take them by surprise before moving on to the main force. Basic divide and conquer really, we cut down their strength a section at a time before even engaging them fully."

Lugnica: The Present

'Of course, divide and conquer,' Ulric realized, 'the reason no one ever heard of the whale hunting in a group is because there is no group.' "I think I figured out where the other two came from," he said.

"Well don't keep us waiting," said Hetaro, "how'd they get here?" Before the knight could answer the whale that Rem was attacking suddenly fell to the ground with a thunderous crash that shook the surrounding area.

"I'll explain in a moment," said Ulric as he corrected his course and headed towards the downed monster, "Help me with this first." The two twins yelled an affirmative as they fell in on both sides of the knight. As for Rem, she was repeatedly slamming her flail into a certain spot on the whale's side. "Move away!" The blue-haired maid managed to hear him over the racket of the whale as she cleared the spot on the beast, while the twins immediately fired another high-powered yell the moment she was clear.

The dual attack slammed into the same spot Rem had been tearing into, causing their adversary to roar in anguish as Ulric leapt off of Spiegel with his blade glowing blue from his mana. With two mighty strokes, he tore into the weakened section of skin on the whale and created a large 'x' shaped opening. That was all that was needed as a gloved hand shot out of the wound before Wilhelm himself burst forth, yelling in absolute relief that he was still alive. Ulric was quick to pull the swordsman the rest of the way out of the mabeast's body before leaping onto the ground. "Are you alright Sir Wilhelm?"

"M-my apologies," coughed the blood-soaked sword master, "I got careless." The man didn't say any more as he suddenly lost consciousness.

"Wilhelm," said Mimi as she and her brother rode over to them, "Is he okay?"

"He's simply passed out from exhaustion and his wounds," answered Ulric as he hefted the old man up, "I'm sorry to request this of you, but could you both see to it that he makes it to Felix?"

"Sure thing," said Hetaro, "but what do you want us to do about you?" The demi-human's question was answered with the arrival of Rem riding Spiegel.

"I need to relay some information to Lady Crusch," said Ulric as he climbed aboard his liger with Rem and took off towards the royal candidate. She was currently assaulting one of the other whales and had managed to drive it to the ground before backing up a bit to restore her mana.

"Sir Ulric," said Crusch, "Is Wilhelm?" She truthfully wasn't sure she wanted to hear the answer.

"We managed to cut him out of the whale that was holding him," replied Ulric, "He's currently getting healing with Felix. But I've also had an epiphany for our current situation."

"Does that mean you have a plan for dealing with the whales?" questioned Crusch.

"I believe so, yes," replied the knight as he began to explain, "You see the whale somehow managed to spawn the other two by using the mass from its original body. I don't know how or why but it makes sense given that Ricardo mentioned something about these others being lighter. They also appear weaker than the one we were fighting earlier."

"That does explain a lot," said Crusch with a hand to her chin, "And these other two do seem to take less punishment than the original. But that still doesn't change the fact that we have three whales to contend with."

"We may not, actually," said Ulric as he pointed to the third whale in the sky, "I didn't notice until just now, but that one hasn't come down to attack us. Even though the other two whales are clearly starting to struggle with killing us, that white whale is still just circling above our heads."

"Are you saying you believe that one up there is the original body?" Questioned Crusch.

"It's only a theory," replied Ulric, "but it's possible that if we kill the original one then the other two will disappear as well."

"Assuming you're right," said Crusch, "Even my sword can't do adequate damage to the whale at that distance. Perhaps if we had a way to bring it closer to us then-."

"We might have a way," said Ulric as he pointed to himself, "I am mabeast bait after all. If you can get me high enough then I might be able to lure it back into the range of our attacks."

"Do you realize how insane that sounds," Crusch pointed out, "Even if we got you up that far there's no guarantee the whale will still follow you. What's more, the only way you could lure it down after that is by falling."

"It wouldn't be the first time I defeated an enemy by allowing myself to fall," said Ulric.

"Your confidence in this plan is somewhat inspiring," said Crusch, with a bit of sarcasm in her voice.

"Not confidence," said Ulric, "Merely faith in everyone here and God above. After all, I don't think the good Lord would have us all gather like this simply to die. Why don't you remind your soldiers of that?" The royal candidate still didn't look totally convinced but she gave her consent for them to move forward with the plan.

"We'll hold off the other two," said Crusch, "Just bring that beast down here for us to slay." Ulric nodded as he and Rem took off towards the center of the field. As they rode, the other two whales attempted to intercept them by blasting a massive amount of fog out of their mouths. But Crusch was as good as her word as she unleashed a titanic wind slash from her sword that somehow managed to disperse the entire cloud. The royal candidate then proceeded to turn to her soldiers, yelling for them to look towards the ones still fighting.

On the field, the whales attempted to circle back towards the two of them after their initial attack was dispersed but were stopped by a barrage of light cannon blasts. 'I don't know what she said,' thought the knight, 'But it seems the troops are finally rallying again.' And none too soon as they managed to get to an open spot underneath the main white whale. The two of them dismounted Spiegel as Rem readied her spell. "Please be careful," she said as she held her hand up.

"Given what I'm about to do, I can only promise that I'll try," said Ulric with a nod as Rem cast her spell.

"AL HUMA," said the blue-haired maid as she formed an ice crystal taller than a person before firing it off towards the main whale in the sky. The mabeast twisted a bit in the air and narrowly avoided the flying projectile, but in so doing it failed to notice it was no longer alone. Suddenly the sound of metal digging into bone rang out as the whale's remaining eye darted to its horn to see a figure in armor with a glowing sword and a blue cross on a cloth overlay.

"My helmet took more damage than I thought," said Ulric as he pushed some of his hair back off his forehead, "To think it'd go flying off on my way up here." His only answer to that was an irritated growl from the whale. "Yes I've come to take a little something from you monster, if you want it back you'll have to come after me!" The knight proceeded to cast Kito Jiwald through his blade, blasting off the section of the whale's horn he was standing on, "DEUS VULT!"

The mabeast howled in rage at receiving yet another wound while Ulric began falling back towards the ground below. "Because of you and that heretical cult I've been forced to die and re-." the knight couldn't finish his sentence as he felt the dark hand of what he now assumed was the witch grasping his heart for a second, again stopping him from revealing his secret. But it also had the intended effect of increasing the scent on his body which proved irresistible to all mabeasts, including the whale as it began diving down towards him.

"NOW REM!" yelled Ulric as he finally caught sight of the ground within the fog. Her answer was to fire another massive ice spike right into the side of the whale's lower jaw, causing it to careen off course. She also quickly slung her flail's chain around the falling knight's waist and yanked him out of the air onto her lap. "Not so long ago I would've found this embarrassing."

"I consider it quite the treat," said Rem with a smile as she directed Spiegel around the area where the whale was crashing. Ulric couldn't help but laugh as he and the maid managed to rearrange themselves on the liger and began heading for Flugel's tree. The angered original whale was right behind them as it let out a hungry snarl.

"Alright Spiegel," said Ulric, "I hope you've got one last sprint in you because we're going to need all the speed you can muster." The liger seemed to acknowledge this as he ran even faster. 'Only going to have one shot at this,' thought the knight as he readied his sword. Rem managed to maneuver Spiegel around to the side of the whale that still possessed an eye while Ulric readied himself for one last jump.

'Even if my mana wasn't close to empty we'd still only have one shot at this,' he thought, 'So I'd best make this count.' The knight then proceeded to generate the glow of Jiwald around his body once again, doing his best to maintain the mana flowing through his exhausted gate. "DEUS VULT!" he yelled once again as he bounded off of Spiegel to the right, flying halfway to his mark before slamming his feet on the ground and leaping with all of his strength to the left.

The confused whale had no time to react as Ulric buried his blade in the monster's remaining eye until only the hilt was visible. The wounded creature seemed to convulse in agony and panic as it attempted to fly upwards with Ulric still hanging from its eye. But without any eyes, the mabeast was unable to see the obstacle in its way as it rammed into Flugel's tree at full speed, resulting in a thunderous crash that seemed to echo for miles. The whale then let out a groan as its body started to slide downwards towards the ground.

"I pray that God forgives us for damaging such a wonder," said Ulric as he yanked his sword out of the whale's eye and leapt to the ground, using the last of Jiwald to steel himself against the hard landing. But as he did he noticed another sound other than the whale. 'That sounds like splitting wood, the kind one would hear when a tree is-oh no.' The knight took a quick look before breaking into an all out sprint as he realized that the impact of the whale had actually been enough to splinter the tree inward and it was now falling towards the mabeast and him.

'I knew ramming the whale into the tree would be effective, but I didn't actually think the tree would fall over!' He thought frantically as he attempted to clear the area, not once looking back to see the whale writhing on the ground in a last attempt to turn his way. But no matter how he ran it didn't seem far enough until finally the massive landmark crashed onto the whale with an impact that seemed to shake the earth and blast away anything near it, including the knight as he was swept off of his feet and tossed through the air. For a few terrifying moments, Ulric couldn't tell up from down as the world seemed to spin around him before he finally landed back first on the ground before rolling another several feet.

'I suppose this is the Lord's way of making sure the beast is dead,' he thought as he struggled to his knees, 'while also punishing me for destroying such a beautiful creation.' But the sound of pained groaning told him the battle was not yet finished as the dust settled. 'What will it take to kill that creature?' Ulric picked up his sword, intending to inflict the final blow on his foe only to stop as he noticed someone else had approached.

Wilhelm Van Astrea now stood before the whale, brandishing the sword of Crusch Karnstein. "What I do now is for my wife Theresia Van Astrea," said the sword master as he charged forward and cut into the white whale's flesh. It was a fearsome display as he hacked and slashed his way up to the top of the creature's body until he was standing atop its head with his sword held high. The whale was now covered in so much blood that it was more red than white and even without its eyes it seemed to know the final blow was coming even before it was struck. "Now sleep eternally, legendary mabeast," said Wilhelm as he drove the sword into the top of the white whale's head.

The blow seemed to ring out as the beast let out one last groan of pain before finally succumbing to its wounds. This also caused the other two whales to dissolve away, ending the threat to the rest of the subjugation force. The sun began to rise then, on a new day and a new era as the proud sword master was at last able to declare, "I love you Theresia! Now and forever!" For on this day, the white whale was slain by the hand of Wilhelm Van Astrea and a new legend emerged. The legend of the victory over the white whale by the sword master and the brave souls of the subjugation force.

Later That Morning

The cheers of the subjugation force likely could've been heard a mile away as they celebrated their victory for a short time. Then came the time that always came in the aftermath of battle, the time to tend to the wounded and bury the dead. As for Ulric, he quickly located Rem after the whale's death and insured that she was getting her own wounds looked at, as well as some much needed rest. The knight himself turned down any initial treatment as he was more exhausted than injured, not to mention, he needed some time to think.

'This was a victory for everyone here,' thought Ulric as he stood on a small hill away from the camp and watched the sun rise with his helmet under his arm, 'but it will not be a complete victory for me until I deal with the witch's cult. My lady is still not safe.' "You should be celebrating," said Crusch as she walked up to the knight, "after all it was you that played a large part in our victory."

"And yet you also seem to be in a somber mood despite our victory," Ulric pointed out as he turned to the royal candidate.

"While it was a victory it came at a high cost," said Crusch as she looked over towards the area where they were gathering the dead, "even with the white whale gone the vanished will not return."

"Such is the nature of war," said Ulric, "whether the battle is won or lost lives will disappear. But I've no doubt the departed will be able to rest easy knowing that their sacrifice insured a future where everyone will no longer have to fear that monster."

"You make a fair point," said Crusch, "though you do also realize that you just helped your rival secure an even better position for obtaining the throne."

"Perhaps," said Ulric, "but if that is the cost for protecting my lady then I will gladly pay it. God willing another way will present itself for her to become ruler, but even if she doesn't I will still continue to serve as her knight." Crusch sighed at this before smiling.

"Emilia is fortunate to have a knight like you," said Crusch, "It's a shame I didn't find you first. You might be a captain at least by now. Especially as one of the heroes that brought down the white whale."

"I'm not certain I should share in that honor," said Ulric, "In all honesty I hadn't expected the tree to actually topple and now a great landmark has been ruined."

"And created another," Crusch pointed out, "I'm sure the story of the battle of Flugel's tree will be forgiving to you, especially if the tree itself manages to regrow. In the meantime, I believe you had another matter that needed attending too."

"I'm afraid so," said Ulric, "It pains me to lead others into another battle so soon after one like this, but we must move now if we're to save as many lives as possible. Do you have any soldiers that are still willing to fight at the moment?"

"I believe you could still find some use for this old man," said Wilhelm as he approached suddenly before kneeling in front of Ulric and Crusch. "I owe you a great debt Sir Ulric and even greater gratitude for allowing me the chance to avenge my wife. So from the bottom of my heart I thank you and offer my blade to help you carry out your duty."

"Would you not prefer time to rest Sir Wilhelm," questioned Ulric, "After all it was your blade that felled the beast in the end. I shudder to think what we would've done without your help."

"Do not downplay your own role in the white whale's defeat," said Wilhelm, "You fought on even after I was taken into the beast's maw. If anything I at least owe you for getting me out, so I ask that you at least let me repay you for that." Ulric wasn't sure what to say to that and simply nodded as the swordsman stood back up.

"Sir Wilhelm," said Crusch, "I will need to be returning to the capital with the White Whale's corpse as well as the injured soldiers. So you should probably hold onto that sword I gave you for just a bit longer." The old man nodded his head in understanding as the royal candidate turned to Ulric. "As for you Sir Knight, take Felix and half the uninjured soldiers with you. That should give you a fighting force of about twenty soldiers. Will that suffice for your needs?"

"That and Sir Wilhelm will be more than enough," said Ulric with a bow, "Now it is I who must express my gratitude to you."

"It's the least I can do for one of my most respected rivals," said Crusch, "May the next time we meet be under pleasant circumstances. But even if we must meet as enemies again, I won't forget the debt I owe you. So good luck and may the one you call God watch over you."

"May he watch over you as well," said Ulric as the two shook hands. Crusch departed shortly after that as Ulric went to organize the soldiers that would be under his command. 'At last,' thought the knight, 'the greatest obstacle between me and the cult has been removed. My new crusade can now truly begin.'

 **Against the odds our heroes have managed to bring down a four centuries old legend and pave the way to a better future. But not everyone's future is safe just yet as Ulric musters his new fighting force against the dangerous cult of the witch as his own personal crusade can at last be fulfilled. In the meantime, I hope you all enjoyed this latest chapter and as always feel free to leave a comment or review of what you liked/disliked or if you've got any neat ideas for future chapters. Be sure to stop in next time as Ulric preps for a raid on a cult hideout. 'Til then.**


	26. Subjugation and Extermination

**Subjugation and Extermination**

By the Ruins of Flugel's Tree

Ulric stood by the road with Ricardo and Mimi, his left hand resting on his sword and his helmet under his right arm as he watched the approaching Iron Fang reinforcements, which were led by Mimi's other brother, the monocle wearing Tivey. They'd been on their way during the battle against the white whale, but their arrival was just the slightest bit too late to assist in the endeavor. For Ulric, however, their timing couldn't have been any better as they would bolster his current battle-weary force. He was also pleasantly surprised to see that they were accompanied by the purple-haired knight Julius.

"So you've decided to grace us with your presence at last, Julius," Felix prodded playfully as he walked up next to Ulric.

"You'll ruin my reputation with statements like that," said Julius as he dismounted his blue ground dragon. "I know not of this man called 'Julius', though I suppose my name does bear some resemblance. You may refer to me as 'Juli', a simple wanderer. Though were I a knight I would know that I cannot lower myself, even temporarily, to the rank of mercenary."

"That household knight's code of chivalry can be a real pain sometimes," said Felix with a grin.

"He is right, however," said Ulric, "A good reputation for a knight is not earned easily and much is expected in order to keep it. That is something I've found my land and this one share."

"And I'm happy to see that you're doing well," said Julius as he turned to Ulric, "Though you are a bit worse for wear."

"It's not a simple matter, bringing down a four centuries old beast," said Ulric, "But I have developed even more respect for Felix here. It's possible our casualties would've been twice as bad without him."

"Ny-ow there's ny-o need for flattery," said Felix as he held up two fingers with a smile, "I already kny-ow how great I am."

"By the way," said Julius, "Where's the blue-haired maid that's been accompanying you everywhere?"

"She suffered a few severe injuries along with mana depletion," said Ulric, "Both her and I tried to talk Felix into at least letting her stay nearby, but he said as a healer he couldn't allow it. So I asked her to look after Mimi's brother Hetaro until he was recovered as well."

"I do appreciate that," said Julius, "Hetaro's always been a little less resilient in comparison to his sister."

"Oh he's just being a baby," said Mimi as she waved her arms in the air, "He's strong, but he also likes to make a big deal out of everything!"

"So I see," said Ulric, fairly certain that her brother was low on energy because he spent most of his time reining in his sister. "By the way Julius, I hate to bring this up now but I have a favor I need to ask of you." The knight proceeded to unclip his sword from his belt, "I need you to hold onto my sword and dagger for a minute. I need to have a word with one of the mercenaries."

"I can't imagine what for," said Julius as he accepted Ulric's weapons, "Anastasia trusts all of them implicitly. You didn't get into a brawl with one of them before the mission did you?"

"A brawl is what I'm hoping to avoid," said Ulric as he stepped past Julius and stood in front of the other Iron Fang mercenaries. "I would like to speak to a man named Berat, is he present?" A few of the mercenaries directed their gazes to a man in the middle of the formation before he stepped forward and pulled his hood down.

"I am Berat," he said, his tan complexion immediately marking him as a Turk to the Crusader, "What business do you have with me?"

"I'm actually going to answer a question that's probably burning at the back of your mind at this moment," replied Ulric. "You see I recognize your lineage as that of a Turk, are you not?"

"I-I am," said the somewhat surprised Berat, "But how could you possibly know such a thing?"

"The same way you will know what I am," explained Ulric, "both of our peoples have met and fought many times for the holy land and now we stand before each other again. You see, I am Sir Ulric, a Crusader for the Lord God Almighty."

"SO IT IS TRUE!" Berat practically shouted as he drew his sword and stepped forward with the weapon pointed at the knight. "I'd heard rumors that you referred to yourself as a Crusader, that you spoke of the God you claimed to follow while pillaging our lands and slaughtering my people!"

"Yes, I killed a number of your warriors," said Ulric, "And I watched as numerous people I thought of as friends fall to the blades of your kin. We both have a reason to want each other's heads. But as of this moment, I have no intention of fighting you whatsoever."

"That will make this easy then," said the Turk as he approached with his blade held to strike, "I will grant you a quick death for your cooperation."

"I said I have no intention of fighting you," said Ulric as he held his hand up, "I also have no intention of dying by your sword. You see I revealed myself to you as an act of good faith, because I want you to help me."

"And what reason would I have to help you?!" exclaimed Berat as he stopped short with his sword still held at the ready, "Your people took Jerusalem from us! You've stained the holy land with the blood of my people and now you expect me to help you?!"

"I expect you to act in a way that would honor your employer," said Ulric. "You are contracted with Lady Hoshin and your actions reflect on her. As of this moment your orders are to assist me and Lady Emilia in dealing with the witch's cult. I doubt she would look favorably on you ending the life of a client. I also know that Turkish soldiers have their own code of conduct they follow and that it would likely be frowned upon for you to take the life of an unarmed opponent who's taken no action against you."

"Do not speak as if you know the ways of my people," sneered Berat, "you and your Crusaders have attempted to wipe out our culture! You deserve to die for the sins you've committed!"

"It was your people that forced us into action in the first place!" Ulric shot back, "Our only interest was the recapturing of the holy land from your own expanding armies! Our aim was never the extermination of your culture. But my people's crusade is no longer my crusade." Berat was obviously skeptical about this, but he lowered his sword a bit as the knight continued his explanation.

"I no longer serve as a crusader for the pope just as you no longer serve as a soldier for the Turkish army. My sword now belongs to Lady Emilia and my crusade is against the witch's cult that threaten her and the Mathers domain."

"What's your point infidel," asked Berat with a raised eyebrow as he finally seemed to be listening to a slight degree.

"My point is this," said Ulric, "if you absolutely wish for a fight to the death in a land far from either of our homes that will have little meaning then I will oblige you. Just not at this time. Once the enemy you've been contracted to help me with is dealt with then you will be free of any need to restrain yourself from attacking me. I will even put in a formal request to your lady to make the duel happen." The Turk seemed to think on this for a few moments.

"What guarantee do I have that you won't simply cut me down while we're fighting the cult?" asked Berat.

"Simple," said Ulric, "I've already revealed myself as a Crusader to you, so naturally you'll be on guard around me. But I will also stay in front of you as much as I can whenever we're in the same place, presenting my back to you as it were."

"Why would you go so far to get my cooperation?" Questioned Berat who seemed genuinely confused now.

"Because despite what happened in the Crusades, you are not my enemy here," said Ulric, "My enemies are the ones currently trespassing in the Mathers domain and I need all the help I can get to stop them. So I ask you not as a crusader but as a knight who wishes to protect his mistress, will you help me?" Berat was obviously conflicted over this but eventually he sheathed his sword and gave his answer.

"Let us be clear on a few items," said Berat, "my hatred is not gone by any means. But you have made a good point, I cannot kill you while under contract and expect to remain in the service of my own mistress. So while I do not see you as an ally, I will not treat you as an enemy either until such a time that we are able to settle this. Also, I will only follow orders from my superiors and will ignore any from you."

"That is more than agreeable," said Ulric as he turned back to Julius. "It seems we're finally ready to get started." The knight nodded in agreement as they all gathered to discuss their strategy for an assault on the witch's cult. Ulric went over everything he knew about Betelgeuse and his followers, as well as confirming that the cult's presence often coincided with appearances from the white whale. Concerns about the villager's safety was raised, but Ulric had taken the liberty of sending Russell and Anastasia ahead to find the merchant Otto.

With no whale around to eat the wagons this time they'd be able to actually make it to the village. Roswaal would, of course, still need to purchase Otto's out of season oil but as before that was a small price to pay. A messenger was also dispatched by Crusch to inform Emilia about the approaching force the knight had gathered. In the end, the battle plan wound up being relatively simplistic. A precise and brutal attack, catching their enemies' off-guard and slaughtering every last one before they knew what was happening.

'The plan is simple,' thought Ulric as they rode down the pathway on their mounts, 'but we have to execute it near perfectly or Betelgeuse might escape in another body.' "Are you feeling alright Sir Ulric," asked Julius as he pulled up next to the knight on his blue ground dragon, "You seem troubled."

"I have every confidence in the fighting force we have assembled," said Ulric, "but this cult is a tricky one. The methods of fighting and escape I mentioned to you and everyone else are only the ones I know about. Even if we catch them completely by surprise it's entirely possible they might spring something unexpected on us."

"Both you and I know that battles are unpredictable by nature," said Julius, "The best we can hope for is that our vigilance is better than any surprise they might spring on us. But should the worst come to pass, I'd be more than happy to deliver a heartfelt message to Lady Emilia for you."

"I don't believe our odds are quite that terrible," said Ulric, "But I do appreciate the offer. Since we're on the subject, if you die before me should I kiss my lady's hand for you?"

"I would be eternally grateful if you did," said Julius, "thought I too would like to see her ladyship at least one more time before I pass."

"Then it seems we have no choice but to survive this," said Ulric, "And God willing her ladyship shall be waiting for us when we arrive!" With that, the two knights snapped the reins on their mounts as they picked up speed and rode deeper into the forest. The rest of the force quickly split up with some dismounting and hiding among the trees while others continued down the path. As for Ulric, he hopped off Spiegel and began trekking through the part of the forest where he'd seen the cultists before.

Even at this point he didn't know how they knew of the scent on his body, but he did know how they would react to his presence. In the next couple of moments, the familiar movement of shadows alerted the knight to the cultist's arrival as they all stood silently around him. "I appreciate you coming out to meet me," said Ulric, "But I'll only need one of you for this. Take me to the cult leader."

The other cultists nodded before disappearing back into the shadows of the forest while a single cult member remained who turned and started walking towards the cave that served as their base. He'd never seen it during the day, but the outside of the cave was a large dirt and rock covered area with what appeared to be stairs leading into the opening of a large rock wall. The cult member disappeared as the knight approached, likely because the cult leader himself had come out to meet him. "Ah, at last," said Betelgeuse with an exaggerated bow, "I've been waiting ever so patiently to meet you, fellow believer in love. I am-."

"The sin archbishop of sloth," Ulric finished for him, "Betelgeuse Romanee Conti, correct?"

"Oh wonderful, yes wonderful," said Betelgeuse as he tilted his head with his hands on his face, "For you to already know so much, you must be a diligent child yearning for her affection! But fear not, for her love finds all! On a certain day at a certain time, we all realize that we are loved, yes love, love, love, love, LOVE!" The pale madman bent and contorted his body in a manner that Ulric was far more accustomed to than he ever wanted to be before asking his next question. "I must ask, of the six sin archbishops, Pride's seat remains vacant. Are you him perhaps?"

"I've grown a bit tired of being asked that question," said Ulric, "How is it you even know that all the seats are still filled?"

"Huh," said Betelgeuse as he tilted his head in a questioning manner, "how do I know? I know the same way you should know! The gospel, the gospel of the great witch, the gospel that tells all!" The sin archbishop then proceeded to pull the black book containing said gospel out of his robes and feverishly flipped through the pages at a rate Ulric didn't think was possible. His eyes darted back and forth like a man, who might as well be, possessed until he reached the final page and slammed the book closed. "This isn't right, you are nowhere to be found in the gospel, yet you have the blessing of the witch! Why, why, why! Such a mystery makes my brain tremble!"

"I'm afraid you'd know more than me," said Ulric as he placed his helmet on his head and drew his sword, "this disgusting scent has stuck to me since the moment I arrived in this land. But I am not this 'Pride' fellow of which you speak. As I once said before, if I must embody a sin right now it will be wrath!" The knight shifted into his usual fighting stance, his sword at the ready as he watched his foe's face contort with anger, disappointment, and of course, madness.

"YOU DARE INSULT THE LOVE OF THE WITCH!" yelled Betelgeuse as five shadowed hands emerged from his back. "Authority of sloth, unseen hand!" Ulric almost smiled under his helmet as the mad priest sent a couple of the hands at him before slicing through them with his mana infused sword. "What, how can you see, how?!"

"Likely for the same reason I have this scent," said Ulric as he slashed a couple more of the arms. "Your witch may have brought me here, but God has allowed me to turn even that against you and your cult so that he may render judgement on you heretic, Deus Vult!" The sin archbishop roared in anger until the sound of intense screaming drew his attention. Looking back, he saw that the foundation of the cave was cracking very quickly before turning back to see Mimi and Tivey charging right past him. The pair used their signature magical screams again, causing the entire entrance to collapse on top of the cultists still within the cave.

"Take your final moments to repent and beg for forgiveness," said Ulric, "For this cave and this forest shall be your graves." The pale priest seemed shocked beyond belief at this turn of events as his head turned back and forth from the knight to the rubble behind him.

"H-how is this possible," questioned the sin archbishop as he finally settled on looking at the rubble. "All of my fingers crushed so mercilessly, cruelly, artlessly, arbitrarily, pointlessly, my brain…..how it trembles!" The madman actually ripped some of his own hair out as his eyes swirled around in his head, and if the knight wasn't mistaken, he may have actually been crying blood as well.

"Jeez, that guy's way crazy," said Mimi as she and her brother quickly retreated back into the woods.

"All of the cult is probably like that," remarked Tivey to his sister, hoping they weren't leaving prematurely.

As for Ulric, he was content to wait and let the sin archbishop wallow in his misery until his eyes finally turned back on him. "I see now," said Betelgeuse as he bit some of his fingers, "Yes of course, that is the way it must be! I shall be ready, no I am ready! The time has come to learn which of us is worthy of the great witch's love!"

"Have you not listened to a word I've said," questioned Ulric as he brandished his sword, "I don't want your witch's love. I answer to the gospel of God Almighty. So you can take your love, your false gospel and all of your madness to hell!" The knight shot forward with the power of Jiwald as Betelgeuse attempted to counter him with all eight of his hands. But Ulric had already seen his pattern once as he dodged, rolled and slashed through the dark hands of his foe until he completely closed the distance.

The sin archbishop had nowhere to go as Ulric swung his glowing sword with all his might into his side. He'd intended to gut the man, but the blow was so powerful that it actually managed to slice him in half, spraying a good bit of the area behind him in blood as well as getting a bit on the knight's armor. The sin archbishop let out one cry of pain before collapsing in two heaps upon the ground. Ulric then proceeded to stab his blade into the corpse's heart for good measure, not even taking the slightest chance that he might have survived the initial killing blow.

"A fine display of skill," said Wilhelm as he leapt down from the top of the rubble, "It seems your instinctive control of your gate has become even better. Though you seemed to have stumbled a bit on the follow through."

"As unbelievable as it may sound," said Ulric as he used his mana to burn the blood off of his sword before sheathing it, "I've never actually cut someone in half like that. So I'm surprised I actually accomplished the feat."

"Well it certainly did the job," said Felix as he approached and kneeled by the body to examine it. "As the capital's best healer, it's my expert opinion that he is surely and truly dead."

"Yay!" cheered Mimi as she and Tivey didn't waste a second in rifling through the deceased madman's pockets.

"Speaking as someone who's searched a few corpses, I don't think you should be doing that," said Ulric.

"You of all people should recognize the right of someone to take the spoils of battle," remarked Tivey as he tossed away a small pink ball he'd pulled out of Betelgeuse's robes.

"Ordinarily yes," said Ulric, "But these cultists are something of a mystery even to the imperial knights of Lugnica. So it'd probably be best not take anything as it may carry a spell or curse. Also, I can't destroy the body if you two are in the way."

"We'll be only a minute," said Tivey as he pulled a black book out of the robes, "Surely you can wait that long. Now what's this supposed to be?"

"That would be their supposed gospel," said Ulric as he crossed his arms impatiently.

"Oh no, really!" Exclaimed Tivey, his hair standing on end as he tossed the book away as if it was a hot coal. "And I just touched it too!"

"Exactly the point I was trying to make," said the knight as he picked up the book, "If we're going to destroy this cult entirely then it would be best to wipe every trace of them from this land. Take it from someone who knows the power of gospel. If even one of the cultists or this book survives to spread its lies, then there is a chance this could all start over again." He emphasized his point by using a bit of light magic to incinerate the book in his hand.

"He's right to a degree," said Wilhelm, "you know the rumors. When one of those books is delivered to someone it means they have the potential to join the witch's cult. Nine times out of ten, that's exactly what ends up happening."

"Well in that case," said Mimi as she finished checking through the dead man's robes, "we should probably go make sure all the other enemies are dead as well."

"I'm starting to see how you gained the rank of second in command despite you're adorable exterior," said Ulric.

"Oh stop it, you'll make me blush," said Mimi, who was apparently very easily flattered.

"The head cultists called his other subordinates fingers," said Wilhelm, "And from what you told us, they're basically special vessels that Betelgeuse can transfer himself into if his main body dies."

"Yes," replied Ulric, "That's why I asked everyone to take extra special care. I only know of one of the other fingers and he's currently crushed under those rocks. Now that his main body is dead, he'll transfer to his next finger so we'd best get moving." Everyone else agreed as they began trekking back into the woods. "Oh and before I forget, Kito Jiwald!" The knight raised his hand and blasted the corpse into oblivion with the spell, insuring that he most certainly would not be using that body again.

Once they arrived back at the road, they met up with Julius, Ricardo and the rest of his group. They had had similar success in their own endeavors against the cult. "We made no errors in our extermination," said Julius, "a few of the cultists did have skill, but were ultimately no match for our forces. We managed to crush two of the fingers as well."

"That's good news," said Ulric, "I know I warned everyone about that monster's transference ability, but I could only tell you all so much."

"It's proven to be more than enough," said Julius, "And I imagine you have good news for us as well?"

"Betelgeuse is dead," said Ulric with an actual smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, "And we saw to it the cultists in the cave have been buried within it."

"And knight boy here made super sure he was dead too," cheered Mimi as she waved her staff in the air, "He cut him in half and stabbed his heart and blew his body to bits!" She punctuated the final part of her sentence with a small spark of flame from her staff. Julius and the others looked at Ulric with something of a bewildered expression.

"I did want to make sure," said Ulric with a shrug, "I also plan on burning the bodies of the other cultists since a mass grave might not be enough."

"Well we still need to mop up the remnants first," said one of the Iron Fang who had the head of what Ulric was told was a badger.

"We can then rendezvous with the wagons you arranged to carry the villagers," said Julius.

"And if we don't hurry, my lady will complain about dying of old age," said Ricardo, which got a laugh out of Mimi.

"That means you'd best get to work with that nasty scent," said Felix as he patted Ulric on the shoulder. The knight sighed in response as he got ready to once again force the presence of the witch to grasp his heart. But as he was about to, he heard a sound moving through the trees and grass nearby.

"Everyone get back!" exclaimed Ulric as he drew his sword and charged past Ricardo and Julius. Hardly a moment after he gave his warning, several shadowed hands shot out of the forest at the backs of some of the Iron Fang. Ulric managed to cut through the first couple but wasn't quick enough to keep the hands from seizing two of the mercenaries and holding them high in the air.

"What's going on," said Julius, who'd managed to draw his own sword. But unlike Ulric he was unable to see the demonic limbs holding his comrades.

"One of the fingers must've slipped past the other group," answered Ulric as he cut through the remaining two hands, freeing the mercenaries in the process. But as he was turning back towards the forest, another hand shot out and grabbed onto his left arm before dragging him into the shadowed part of the woods. Wilhelm and the others attempted to chase after him only for another large group of cultists to appear from shadows on the ground and block their way. This left the knight to fend for himself as he was drug deeper and deeper into the woods.

As he was being pulled, he was yanked over rocks and roots while also bumping into trees. One of these collisions caused him to drop his sword until he was at last pulled against a tree. The arm then proceeded to wrap the rest of its length around the tree and his torso, keeping him from moving. Ulric looked around for the source of the arm, already knowing his regular strength wasn't enough to free him.

"You continue to go against all expectations despite the love being shown you," said a sadistic female voice with an all too familiar tone. "You've been gifted more love than a mere follower, yes, yes, the scent that hangs from you is that of a sin archbishop. It's so potent that my brain trembles at how such a displeasing, dispassionate, dissatisfying, disproportionate, disagreeable person such as you could be Pride!"

"I'm well beyond tired of telling you the same thing over and over again," said Ulric as he turned his head towards Betelgeuse's current appearance, a woman in cultist robes with short brown hair. "I am not and never will be this Pride of which you speak, and should I ever find the real one I will bury my blade in his heart!"

"You will be once you've had a chance to read our gospel," said the Betelgeuse woman as she reached into her robes, "But first, I'll need to break your legs and maybe an arm to keep you from getting too unmanage-wait, where is it? Where is the sacred gospel!" The woman searched her robes frantically, almost as if her life depended on having the accursed black book. But it also gave Ulric the distraction he was looking for as he directed his eyes at his enemy's heart.

"Al Jiwald!" said Ulric, firing a pair of light beams from his eyes. The cult leader reacted in surprise and held up her hand in reflex. This only served to have it nearly obliterated as the beams shot through her hand and, irritatingly, into her shoulder. 'The heretic flinched out of the way,' thought an annoyed Ulric. But it did have at least the effect of causing the hand holding him to disappear as he dropped from the tree and charged forward while drawing his dagger.

Betelgeuse, in his panicked state, wasn't fast enough to dodge the knight's slash as it tore into her arm and nearly cut the whole limb off. "Why, why, why, why!" exclaimed the mad woman, "Why is the gospel gone! Did you take it?!" All eight unseen hands sprang from her back as her rage boiled over. But as they were about to engage in battle again they were interrupted by two quick slashes of another blade as Wilhelm suddenly passed by the cult leader.

In another moment, blood began spilling out of two large cuts across Betelgeuse's stomach. "M-my life is emptying out," she said with a look of actual disbelief, "my obedient pulse is stopping, my life's support is running dr-BOOOOOOOM!" The rest of the words were lost as a circle of purple energy blasted her into pieces.

"Jeez, he sure loves to talk," said Mimi as she rested her staff on her shoulder, "but at least his fingers blow up as well as the real one!"

"Are you alright Sir Ulric," questioned Julius as he scanned the forest for any other possible attackers.

"Nothing I haven't withstood before," replied the knight as he accepted his sword from Felix, "Better question is how the rest of the force is doing? Even knowing about the fingers it seems at least one group was taken by surprise."

"There does exist the possibility that more than ten of the members are fingers," said Wilhelm, "At this point it may be safer to assume the entire cult is the sin archbishop."

"My name is legion, for we are many," Ulric couldn't help but quote aloud as he put a hand to his chin.

"Did you say something Ulric?" Asked Felix as his cat ears perked up.

"Another passage from the book I was raised on," replied Ulric, "Mark 5 verse 9 if I recall. It just seemed more than appropriate for our situation. But it doesn't change our original objective, so we'd best get moving." A chorus of agreements met this statement as they marched back out of the forest onto the path where everyone else was. The mercenaries that had been caught by the unseen hand were no worse for wear and more than ready to continue.

This was fortunate as the merchant wagons had arrived and were ready to evacuate the village and the mansion. "Alright!" announced Ulric as he climbed onto his liger, Spiegel, and began moving up and down the line of wagons, "The cult is being dealt with but the danger has not yet passed! We'll need to move quickly if we're to evacuate everyone to a safe location so time is of the essence! Now let's not waste another moment and move out!"

The wagons responded to this by taking off at a brisk pace while Ulric, Julius, and the others rode alongside them, keeping their eyes open for any signs of trouble. 'I hope Emilia approves of the actions I'm taking,' thought Ulric, 'I've done a lot without her knowledge or permission in the past couple of days. But if there's one thing I know, she'd want the villagers out of harm's way. So if nothing else I'll at least be fulfilling that wish.'

But those concerns would have to come later as Ulric noticed something strange was happening. A blue rose petal floated by his face, then another, and then several more. As the knight looked up to find the source of the petals, he noticed the path had become shrouded in some type of strange blue mist. What was more, all the wagons seemed to have disappeared somehow.

Ulric stopped and hopped off of Spiegel with his sword drawn. There was something different about this magic. The witch's cult had never used something like this before and if they could have why did they hold back until now? So the knight came to the conclusion that he was dealing with another magic user. But another issue was also creeping at the back of the knight's mind. Why did the mana from this magic seem so, familiar? He would soon get his answer.

 **Yet another obstacle blocks our hero's return to the Roswaal mansion, but if it is not the cult who might it be? Hello everyone, hope you enjoyed this latest chapter and a happy Easter to you all as well. As always, feel free to leave a comment or review about what you liked/disliked or if you've got any neat ideas for future chapters. Be sure to stop in next time as Ulric and the subjugation force face a number of hidden forces working against them. 'Til next time.**


	27. Unforeseen Enemies and Complications

**Unforeseen Enemies and Complications**

Forest Road of the Mathers Domain

The knight's eyes scanned the blue mist that had come to surround him as he looked for any sign of movement. 'Where is everyone,' thought Ulric as he also strained his hearing for anything that sounded like wagon wheels or ground dragons. But he seemed to be alone, with Spiegel being the only other one in the fog with him. But the liger hadn't reacted to the presence of the blue fog, in fact he didn't seem to be moving hardly at all but was rather just standing there.

'Whoever's doing this wants me isolated,' he surmised as he also noted an intense smell that reminded him of a, flower? Ulric then turned his eyes to the ground where he noticed a small blue flower next to the path. 'It couldn't be, could it?' His unspoken question was answered when a pair of vines broke out of the ground and shot towards his throat and arm.

The knight reacted quickly and cut the vine headed for his throat first while the other vine snagged his arm. It was only a minor inconvenience, though as he quickly cut the second vine before firing a ball of light at the flower itself. The flower was reduced to practical nothingness, leaving only a black scorch mark where it had once been. The knight then turned his attention to the rest of the forest, his eyes peeled for any other flowers like the one he'd just destroyed.

But then something else happened as a red orb hardly the size of a marble suddenly appeared and began circling around him. 'A lesser spirit, but what's that doing here?' Whatever the reason, the spirit circled around Ulric a few more times before moving towards him and disappearing. Shortly after that, the blue fog dissipated as well, causing his surroundings to seemingly distort before returning to normal.

"Sir Ulric, is that you," questioned a familiar voice as Ulric turned to see Julius was now present.

"Julius," said Ulric as he also noticed that all of the wagons, mercenaries and soldiers were back. But they were all stopped and either holding their heads or curled up like they were in pain. "What's going on here? Why are just the two of us moving normally?"

"It seems we're the only ones that have broken free so far," stated Julius, "Everyone is under a bewitching spell at the moment. What they're seeing is happening inside their minds, an illusion if you will. How did you manage to break your spell?"

"I simply destroyed a blue flower in my illusion," explained Ulric, "It's possible the caster underestimated me somewhat."

"Yes, that makes sense," said Julius with a hand to his chin, "A suggestion for the bewitching spell was placed on the flower's scent." The purple-haired knight held his hand up then as six lesser spirits, all of a different color appeared in a circular formation in his hand.

"You're a spirit arts user," said Ulric with a mild bit of surprise present in his voice.

"I prefer the term 'spirit knight' myself," replied Julius, "You see these lesser spirits are my little buds and with them, I can teach everyone how to break the spell. But the broadcast will reach everyone, so apologies in advance." The lesser spirits shifted and flew upwards then with the black and white ones approaching Ulric's face. "In…Nes." The two spirits collided on command as Ulric's mind was suddenly flooded with a mass of voices.

He recognized them all as the voices of his fellow soldiers, all of which were in some form of panic or another. The noise of it all was so overwhelming that Ulric's head actually began to hurt. "I'm afraid I haven't the time to fine tune it to everyone," explained Julius, "Just try to take a deep breath and work through the pain. It'll all be over in a moment."

"J-just hurry and break t-the spell," responded Ulric, finding it difficult to even think straight. He put both hands to his head as he tried to steady his breathing, while the pain gradually lessened. Soon enough, it had all but stopped. The knight breathed a sigh of relief as he worked to get back up.

His reprieve was short, however, as a figure in a white robe shot out of the woods and raced right for Ulric. He quickly reached for his sword and was about to draw it when he noticed a quick flash of, pink hair. "Are you-UFFFFF?!" He didn't get a chance to finish his question as the newcomer slammed their fist into his solar plexus with an incredible amount of force, causing the knight to nearly double over in pain.

The robed figure then proceeded to actually hoist the knight on their shoulder with strength that defied their short stature before breaking into a run down the road. Their flight was short-lived, fortunately, as Wilhelm appeared in their way with a sword pointed at the newcomer's face. "That shall be enough of that," said Wilhelm with a stern expression on his face. Any other routes of escape the attacker might've had were quickly cut off with the arrival of Felix and Ricardo.

The robed figure simply scoffed at their predicament, roughly tossing Ulric to the ground before pulling their hood back. "Just kill me then," she said as she revealed herself to be a pink-haired girl, "I refuse to live with this disgrace."

"Wait, wait," said Ulric as he pulled himself to his feet, "She's not an enemy." The others looked at the knight skeptically but lowered their weapons regardless.

"Everyone, this is Ram," explained Ulric, "She's one of the maids at Roswaal's mansion."

"And I do hope you have a good explanation for this," said Ram as she indicated the wagons.

"I think it's you who owes us an explanation," said Ulric as he rubbed the spot where he'd been hit, "That was quite a blow even with my armor on. Why exactly were you attacking us a moment ago?"

"Someone who's claimed to have spent their time on the front lines shouldn't have to ask such a thing," said Ram, "For all your talk of honor and loyalty, it seems you were no better than a mercenary in the end."

"I'm not working for the Iron Fang," said Ulric, "I brought them here to help. You should've received a letter from me explaining their presence and everyone else's purpose here."

"We did receive a letter from the capital," said Ram, "But I find it quite amusing that you think a blank letter would explain anything to us."

"Blank let-ah that blasted messenger," said Ulric as he rubbed his head in frustration. While he didn't understand a lot of the politics of Lugnica, one interesting tidbit Emilia had told him about was the blank letter. Apparently, a blank letter was a metaphor meaning that one had no intention of actually speaking to the recipient. It was also common for it to be interpreted as a declaration of war. "This is all a complete misunderstanding Ram, surely you see that now."

"I see what it means to bite the hand that feeds you," said Ram dismissively. Ulric let out an annoyed breath at that comment before he continued.

"The witch's cult is moving against Roswaal and Emilia. Rem and I gathered these mercenaries and knights to exterminate them," said Ulric, "We have no intention of moving against your master."

"So you say," said Ram as she looked thoughtful for a moment, "But I suppose it makes sense given your inability to completely understand the politics of this land. And since you've spared my life I guess that means you are still Emilia's dog."

"I'd prefer a different term, but we can debate that later," said Ulric, "I swore my loyalty to Emilia and that is where it shall remain. Now we need to move quickly to evacuate the villagers. Your assistant would be welcome if you are able to provide it."

"I am an extension of Lord Roswaal's will," said Ram, "therefore I must act in his interests during his absence. Protecting those in his domain falls under that responsibility."

"Then let us move out," said Ulric as Julius signaled to the wagons to resume their course.

The Village Near the Mansion

Thankfully, Ram hadn't set any other traps up that would impede them, allowing the wagons to arrive at the village without much incident. But now another challenge laid before the group as they gathered the villagers in the square around the well. "This might be more difficult than we first suspected," noted Julius as he observed the worry in each of the villager's faces, "They're all rather uneasy as the moment."

"I suppose it's understandable," said Ulric, "A large group of unknown and armed individuals suddenly showing up will make any civilian nervous. I often saw this sort of thing in the Crusades even when we were going through a village that was supposed to be allied with us."

"Then you'd best take extra care with your words," said Julius, "Otherwise they might not listen despite knowing who you are."

"I trust God to give me the necessary words," said Ulric as he said a quick prayer before stepping forward to address the villagers. "Good people, lend me your ears! As you may recall I am Sir Ulric, sworn knight of her ladyship Emilia and her allies. I have come because this village once again faces danger. But fear not, I have also brought assistance to evacuate you all and deal with the current threat-."

"And what is threatening the village," questioned the chief, the same man with a red bandana around his neck who'd given Ulric a sword some time ago, "It's the witch's cult isn't it?!" The Crusader sighed as he thought about the best way to respond.

"Yes, the witch's cult is in the Mathers domain," he finally replied, deciding the truth was best.

"I knew it," said the chief as a number of other villagers started murmuring. "We've been worried that the cult would try something and now here they are! Ever since Lord Roswaal endorsed that half-elf girl this was bound to happen." The murmur grew as other comments like 'this always happens when you mess with half-elves' and 'even the children know how dangerous they are.' Ulric felt his grip tighten on his sword handle before stepping forward towards the crowd.

"BE SILENT!" yelled the knight, stopping the murmur altogether. "You will not speak of my lady in such a way while I'm here."

"But she's the reason-," one of the villagers started to protest before he was cut off by the knight.

"It matters not why the cult is here!" Ulric said as he tried to keep his voice even, "The cult is full of nothing but derangement and insanity. They'd slaughter a village like this for no other reason than it was on the way back to one of their lairs. Such fiends will claim they do it for what they believe, but in truth they do not need a reason to commit atrocity. Even if they weren't after Lady Emilia, there's no guarantee that this village would've been spared their wrath!"

The people seemed like they wanted to argue that point, but no one seemed to know what to say to it. "You all wish to blame my lady for your plight but I ask you this. Why, if you knew the cult might try something, have you remained here? I know you are not dull nor are you lazy, yet you choose to remain somewhere that you know is dangerous instead of heading to a place you know is safe, why?"

Once again, no one could provide him with an answer. "I believe I know why? It is because despite some of his decisions, you still have faith. Faith that Lord Roswaal will be able to protect or at the very least provide some kind of security for this village. I stand before you all now to show that this faith will not be in vain, so long as you put that same trust in me that you do in your lord. So I ask of you once more, please do as we request and evacuate."

This seemed to sway the villager's opinion as Ram stepped forward. "This household employee speaks the truth," said Ram, "He also speaks with the authority of Roswaal himself. So follow his instructions immediately." That final push was all that was needed as all the people that were gathered finally began moving to evacuate.

The atmosphere was a still a bit tense, but everyone was now moving with a sense of purpose, freely cooperating with the mercenaries and soldiers as they loaded both supplies and people onto the wagons. Ulric did his part, but found that there wasn't much for him to do personally thanks to there being more than enough hands for the work. So while he was moving in between tasks, he decided to express some gratitude to the pink-haired maid.

"I appreciate your assistance," said the Crusader as he and Ram watched the loading of another wagon, "It's good to know that you can put aside your dislike for me when necessary." Ram's response to that was a simple 'hmph' before Petra came running up to the both of them.

"Sir Knight, Pink maid," said Petra between breaths before she put her hands together nervously.

"Petra, is something wrong?" Questioned Ulric as he kneeled down to talk to the child.

"Well, um, will the lady from the mansion be coming with us?" Questioned Petra, "She came to the village yesterday and told everyone to go to the mansion because it's dangerous here. But no one wanted to listen to her."

'So they didn't leave even after being warned,' he thought with annoyance, 'Then they complain about being in danger. A simple prejudice shouldn't keep people from acting responsibly, especially given that they owe her already.' The knight wanted to say quite a few things about it, but instead, he simply placed his hand on Petra's head. "No need to worry about her," Ulric said, "She's a kind and forgiving soul. We'll protect her along with everyone else. Now hurry and board the wagons before this place gets dangerous."

Petra nodded in understanding before turning and heading off to join the other villagers. "So tell me," said the Crusader, "Was Emilia able to convince anyone of the danger?"

"No," replied Ram, "But you know how she is. That girl won't simply back down because of a few denials."

"It is often one of her better qualities," Said Ulric, "but I also know that she's still hurt by the prejudice against her."

"This is also true," said Ram, "After the villagers refused her warning, she repaired the forest barrier. In truth, Emilia had no idea what the danger was, but she couldn't stand by and do nothing either."

"Such is my lady's devotion to what is right," Ulric mused, "I was taught to forgive others as well, but war hardened my heart to where forgiveness was something I didn't even think about until a battle was over."

"Well at least you're not hopelessly naïve," said Ram, "This land can be just as unforgiving as yours if one isn't careful. Loathe as I am to admit it, she'd have lost her life some time ago if not for you."

"Perhaps," said the Crusader, "But the work is not yet complete. I need to head up to the mansion now and clear up the misunderstanding from the letter. I trust you don't require any further assistance from me at the moment?"

"I'm more than capable without you here," said Ram as she resumed her usual tone, "Now go clean up your mess." The knight simply shook his head in amusement at that before heading off. In order to fully correct the misunderstanding, he was going to need a couple people. The first of which was Julius, who he found sitting on a small stone wall by a tree, examining his blade.

"Ah Julius," said Ulric, surprising the spirit knight a bit, "I've been looking for you."

"And how may I be of assistance to you, Sir Ulric," questioned Julius as he sheathed his sword and stood up.

"I need to explain to my lady about our little misunderstanding," replied Ulric, "She knows you fairly well from what I've seen, so I should be able to convince her with your help."

"So I see," said Julius with a slight smile, "If you believe it will allow the discussion to go more smoothly, then I am more than happy to come along. Oh, and before I forget." Julius raised his hand and summoned the same red lesser spirit that he had used earlier. "This is La, she can provide you with a little bit of protection, given that the cult seems to have some strange interest in you."

"That's quite generous of you," said Ulric, "But I don't want to rob you of any of your fighting power just to help me."

"I am as well practiced with the sword as I am with the spiritual arts," replied the spirit knight, "Even with one less spirit, I won't fall easily. I simply wish to be prepared for any other surprises the cult might have in store for us." The knight tried to think of an argument to this, but he was unable to come up with a reason good enough to deny his ally's help.

"Very well then," said Ulric as he held out his hand, "I will accept your help La, but on the condition that should I desire it, you will give your protection to another. Are these terms acceptable to you?" The glowing red orb bobbed in the air, as if nodding before circling around the knight and disappearing into his chest.

"You seem to do somewhat well with spirits," noted Julius, "That may explain why you felt a bit of pain from the Nect."

"That headache inducing magic you used earlier?" Questioned Ulric.

"Yes," affirmed Julius, "Nect is a high class spell that connects the gates of all in range of it, allowing for a form of mental communication. Though on occasion if one has a high affinity with spirits or a powerful gate, it may work a little too well."

"So I was listening to everyone's thoughts then," surmised Ulric with a hand to his chin, "No wonder it felt like my skull wanted to split open. But being able to know the thoughts of one's allies, it would allow an entire army to move in sync without a word being uttered."

"In theory, yes," Said Julius, "But with the need to adjust it to different affinities, not to mention the high amount of concentration and mana needed to maintain it makes the magic more useful for small groups in short battles."

"Always a drawback to the best magic it seems," mused Ulric, "But we can discuss that some other time. Right now I need to find Felix, he should be able to help with this discussion as well. We'll meet you near the village entrance leading to the mansion."

"Of course," said Julius with a slight bow, "I will also keep an eye out for anything suspicious. Do hurry though, the cult approaches with each passing minute." The Crusader nodded in affirmation as he headed off to where the wagons were being loaded. It took a minute, but soon enough he was able to spot a familiar pair of cat ears poking out of one of the wagons.

"Well if it isn't Sir Ulric," Said Felix as he was inspecting one of the crates loaded on the wagon he was currently in. "Ny-o ny-eed to worry about preparations, the evacuation is proceeding smoothly."

"Yes it is," said the knight, "But I've actually come looking for your help with another matter. I'm heading up to the mansion to speak with my lady about the letter. I've already got Julius waiting for us, but I also need someone from Crusch's camp along with me. Since Emilia is familiar with you, that'll make it much easier to convince her."

"Ny-ow I can certainly handle that," said Felix as he moved onto the next crate, "But I ny-eed to finish up my own little task first. Care to help out?"

"What exactly are you doing here," questioned Ulric as he stepped into the wagon behind Felix.

"Well the agreement was that the oil would be bought at the asking price," explained Felix as he handed the knight a cargo manifest, "So it's our job to inspect the goods and make sure they're up to par."

"But we already know the oil is out of season," Ulric pointed out, a bit confused by the healer's reasoning, "And besides, it was just an incentive to get the merchants down here. Even if we were concerned about the quality, isn't this a job better left for lat-?"

"Hey, who's messing around in my carriage," said a dark-haired merchant in a brownish green tunic as he poked his head in.

"Uh oh," said Felix with a goofy smile, "Ny-ow you're in trouble sir knight." The cat-eared knight then moved up next to the merchant and leaned on his shoulder. "Honestly, he really is terrible at avoiding it." The merchant looked more than a little confused about Felix's behavior, but only for a moment. "Also, you lowered your guard."

The healer suddenly grabbed onto the merchant's arm, causing his body to suddenly seize up and fall over into the wagon. "What are you doing Felix," questioned Ulric as he gripped his dagger, knowing his sword wouldn't do so well in a cramped wagon.

"Saving us," said Felix as he flipped the merchant over with his foot to where he was facing upward. "This is a member of the witch's cult. I confirmed it by touch earlier and also found that he has a strange spell placed on him, not unlike one of the 'fingers' of that sin archbishop."

"So this cargo check of yours was a ruse to draw him out," surmised Ulric as he let go of his dagger and kneeled down to get a better look at their captive.

"Ny-ow you're catching on," said Felix with a wink as he turned his attention back to the cult member. "As for you, it'd be best if you told us everything you kny-ow about what the witch's cult is planning. Otherwise, I'll show you just how ny-asty these gentle hands of mine can really be." The cat knight held his hand over the man's face with an ominous, yellow glow emanating from it to emphasize his point.

Despite this, the cult member smiled in what was becoming an all too familiar look of insanity. "Quite…right," he said almost gleefully, "You see, this is the beginning," Ulric noticed a strange glow below the boards of the wagon then, and moved on pure instinct, "Of the end!" Ulric barreled into Felix, launching them both out of the wagon mere seconds before a large blast erupted from it. Everything became a blur then as the shockwave slammed into the knight's back, causing him to nearly lose consciousness as he vaguely saw what appeared to be a red barrier around them.

Ulric rolled over then, his vision swimming while the only thing he seemed able to hear was an awful ringing. The Crusader struggled to his knees as the pounding noise in his head began to fade, only to be replaced by sounds he'd come to know all too well. He heard shouting and the clashing of steel against steel, as well as the sound of stone and wood being crushed and torn apart. He was hearing the sounds of battle once again.

'Was it all a dream,' he thought for a fleeting second as images of knights and Turks in battle flashed through his mind, 'Was I just imagining everything up to this point?' He was shaken from his thoughts then by a familiar face as Felix appeared in his vision. "Ulric, Ulric are you alright?!" Said the healer frantically.

"Felix," said Ulric as he grabbed his head before struggling to his feet, "What happened? What's going on?"

"The wagon exploded," explained Felix, "You pushed me out of the way just in time and La was able to protect the both of us from the debris."

"Remind me to thank Julius the next time I see him," said Ulric as he drew his sword.

"You're quite welcome," said the aforementioned knight as he leapt over some rubble and landed next to them, "It's good to see the both of you are relatively unharmed."

"For the most part," said Ulric, "What's the situation? How did the cult make it into the village?"

"They managed to stow away on the wagons thanks to that merchant," explained Felix, "Turns out he was a finger. If I'd taken care of him sooner then maybe none of this would be happening right now."

"There's no time for regrets now," said Julius, "Tivey and Madam Ram have already evacuated the injured to the mansion. Go there and provide as much assistance as you can." Felix nodded in understanding before heading down the path towards the mansion. "Sir Ulric, are you well enough to fight?"

"I've fought in worse shape than this," replied Ulric, "So let us put the rest of this cult to the sword!"

"Then you'll at least need this," remarked Julius as he tossed Ulric his helmet. The knight nodded in thanks as he quickly donned his head gear and followed Julius into the fray. Smoke and dust now filled several sections of the village while several of the homes had been reduced to rubble. It was from one of these piles of rubble that a few cult members leapt in an attempt to ambush the two knights.

But Ulric swung his blade in a mana filled strike that managed to slash the stomachs of three of the attackers, while Julius decapitated one cultist before quickly impaling the second. The exchange hardly lasted five seconds as they continued, cutting down any cultists that got in their way before reaching the heart of the battle. There, they found Wilhelm engaged with another one of the fingers. The veteran swordsman had found a way to see his opponent's attacks by kicking up large amounts of dust with his powerful sword strokes to make the unseen hands visible. Using both this and his skills, Wilhelm was able to dodge and cut through any hands that came at him until he saw an opening and shot forward, impaling his opponent.

Despite this, the grey-haired finger that Wilhelm was fighting smiled as Ulric and Julius arrived. "One should be careful not to focus too much on what isn't seen," said the finger with a crazed grin, "Or you might miss what is clearly visible!" A cult dagger slid out of the madman's sleeve then as he attempted to stab Wilhelm in the eye.

"Jiwald!" Said Ulric, more out of habit than an actual need as he shot forth with the blue aura surrounding him and sliced off the arm of the cultist.

"AAAAAAH, my arm, it's gone, it's gone, it's gone!" Cried the madman, "Oh what a cruel fate, oh how my brain tr-SLASH." His words were cut short as Wilhelm removed his sword and beheaded the archbishop's finger, causing the body to fall limply to the ground in blessed silence.

"My thanks Sir Ulric," said the sword master as he relaxed his stance a little, "It seems my age may finally be getting to me."

"Nonsense," said Ulric, "You look like you have at least another twenty on you."

"I'm not so certain even I want to live that long," commented Wilhelm.

"Well at least try to make it through this battle," said Julius as he indicated the arrival of more enemies, "We've still got work to do." And it wouldn't be easy, given that several more cult members had emerged from the shadows with yet another finger leading them.

"Where is my gospel?!" Shouted Betelgeuse's current vessel, another brown-haired woman, "Where, where, where, where, where! Which one of you stole it?!"

"Julius," said Ulric as he stepped forward, "Leave the finger to me. I'll have an easier time given that I can see what I'm fighting."

"Very well," replied Julius, "We'll hold off the rest of the followers. Just try not to die."

"So long as God wills it, I shall not," said Ulric as he turned his attention back to the current cult leader. "You want to know where your gospel is, that's simple," the mad woman stopped thrashing for a moment as she listened with a bloody finger in her mouth, "I already destroyed it."

"What!" Yelled the current body of Betelgeuse as her head contorted, "How could you, how dare you, how unforgivable of you, how insolent of you, how utterly despicable of you!" The cult leader froze again before uttering her next words. "For such heresy, you…must….DIE!" All eight of the unseen hands burst forth from her back and raced towards Ulric. The knight quickly rolled to the side to avoid the attack before rushing between a couple of destroyed houses.

Betelgeuse's finger gave chase as the hands tore through roofs, parts of the ground, and even larger pieces of timber. But the knight kept up his pace as he leapt over the fence near the forest and ran through the bushes. "Running is futile you insolent, pathetic, spineless, cowardly little man!" Yelled the insane woman as she followed close behind the knight.

"You don't seem to understand military strategy very well," said Ulric as the glow of Jiwald suddenly enveloped his body. The knight leapt forward before kicking off of a nearby tree, straight back at his pursuer. The surprised cult leader couldn't reel her hands back fast enough and only just avoided losing her head as the Crusader slashed her left shoulder before jumping off another tree and then another. "I led you out here and away from your other followers, allowing me to fight unimpeded!"

He further demonstrated his point as he increased his speed through the air, kicking off of one tree after another. The confused cult leader tried grabbing ahold of him, but only succeeded in breaking off numerous branches or kicking up a mass of dust with each failed attempt. Before long, she lost sight of the knight completely as he landed and ran in low, managing a hit on the back of her right leg, before taking to the trees once again. "AAAAARGH! Curse you, curse you, curse you, curse you! You will not deny me my diligence you filthy maggot!"

The possessed cultist lashed out in all directions with her unseen hands, swatting at the slightest movement or the tiniest noise, knocking off leaves and branches and even tearing down the smaller trees in the area. Dirt, rocks, and bushes were thrown up in the air until the entire area was a cloud of dust, leaves and wood particles. As Betelgeuse's finger glanced around frantically, they noticed that the glow of Jiwald had faded and trying to discern movement within the cloud of debris was like looking for a needle in a haystack, or was it. That's when she saw it, a faint but unmistakable glow.

A wicked smile crossed the cult leader's face as she sent her eight shadow hands at the knight's location and grabbed hold of, a blade. Taking another look, the madwoman realized that what she grabbed was the knight's sword with a quickly fading glow coming from its blade, meaning the knight himself was actually. "Kito," said Ulric as he stepped into view behind the cult leader, "Jiwald!" Betelgeuse's finger whirled around and shrieked in pain as the orb of light slammed into her chest, blasting her into a downed tree.

"I've gotten relatively good with how much power I put into that spell," said Ulric as he stepped over and retrieved his sword, "A blast like that will tear up your chest, but it won't kill you."

"W-why would you let me l-live," coughed the cult leader, "You r-really are a naïve fool."

"I never said you were going to live," said Ulric as he pointed behind his enemy, "I just realized there are other ways to dispose of your body besides a fire." The crazed woman looked behind her to see a number of sinister red eyes, all belonging to wolgarm. She hardly had time to scream before they were tearing her limb from limb. As for Ulric, he made his way out of the forest and back into the town.

He could feel his teeth grit at the sight of the villagers that had failed to escape in time as bodies once again littered the streets of the peaceful village. The only solace he had was the fact that it was nowhere near the number of the last time he walked through the village, and a number of cultists also littered the street. 'We have to end this now,' he thought as he crossed a small bridge where another group of cultists was gathered, and the final finger awaited.

"Ah, what a wondrous sound," said an old man with slicked back silver hair as he put a hand to his ear, "The sound of pain and death! Oh how it makes my brain tremble! Ah, and it seems our knight has arrived!" Ulric was about to respond, but stopped when he heard a commanding voice. One that from his view he hadn't heard in ages.

"You will stop this at once villain!" declared the voice of Emilia, drawing the attention of everyone present. And there she stood, her beautiful appearance a stark contrast to the ravaged landscape around her. With a hand raised and a look of determination, she quickly froze all of the areas that were on fire, along with the remaining cultists say for Betelgeuse's finger. "I will not allow you to continue these wicked deeds."

"Oh ho!" Laughed the man, "How grand this is! Yes what a grand day, what a lucky day, what a fantastic day, what an incredible day, for our grand destiny has arrived!" The eight unseen hands emerged from his back as he bent and contorted his body. Ulric stepped forward to engage the mad man, but was stopped by a command.

"Ulric," said Emilia, "Please, allow me to deal with this villain."

"But your ladyship, the power he wields-," The knight started to protest but was stopped by Emilia raising her other hand.

"You have already done so much," said Emilia with a soft smile, "At least let me do this much." Ulric wanted to argue, but instead he simply sighed before sheathing his sword.

"As you wish, your ladyship," said the knight while stepping back, "His hands can't be seen by regular means. Be wary of that." Emilia nodded in understanding as the determined look returned to her face. Then, with a wave of her hand, Betelgeuse's vessel was bombarded by a small blizzard of ice shards. He hardly seemed to notice as he launched his own attack with one of his hands.

But the ice in the air served a different purpose as Emilia saw the outline of the hand and leapt out of the way of its grasp. She formed a tree out of ice to land on as Betelgeuse continued to rave about his love. "I don't blame him for being entranced by you," said Puck as he popped out of Emilia's hair, "But an unwanted pest like him isn't going anywhere near you." The cat spirit then conjured a large mass of ice spikes around the cult leader, preventing him from escaping as Emilia rained a mass of ice shards down on him.

But the villain wasn't done in so easily as he covered himself with his unseen hands, blocking the razor sharp ice. "So beautiful, but so naïve, naïve, naïve, naïve, naïve, naïve, naïve!" Exclaimed the cult leader as he destroyed all of the ice around him with a few waves of his unseen hands, forcing Emilia to leap out of the way once again and onto a piece of wooden timber sticking out of the rubble. "Your presence here is the proof that the witch has returned my love! And now love's true end is upon us!"

"Such proof doesn't exist," remarked Puck as both he and Emilia held up their hands, "All you have is a deranged, one-sided crush." They launched a massive pillar of ice then that charged towards the madman. In his overconfidence, he actually attempted to stop it with his shadowed hands, but was quickly pushed back by the power of the attack. Emilia and Puck then quickly reshaped the ice as it impacted against the rubble, trapping their foe against an ice wall.

"So this…is true…..diligence," laughed the finger weakly as Emilia landed in front of him with her hand raised.

"My thanks to you, for being defeated," said Emilia as she froze the final remaining finger of Betelgeuse solid. The other sounds of battle also died around them as the last remaining cultists were slain. Julius confirmed it shortly after. The final finger was no more and the battle was over. So it was something of a surprise to Ulric when he approached Emilia, to see tears in her eyes.

"What seems to be troubling you," asked Ulric, "the battle is over at last and the cult in this area is no more. You and the villagers are safe now."

"Yes, that's all true," said Emilia as she wiped the tears from her eyes, "All of these soldiers here are your doing?"

"It is," replied Ulric, "I assembled them from both Lady Crusch and Lady Hoshin's camps. There was a good bit of negotiating involved and there is still some that's needed. My sincerest apologies for taking so much action without your consent, but the situation was dire and time was very limited."

"You have nothing to apologize for," said Emilia, "Everything that's happened here is my fault."

"Do not say such a thing," Ulric said with more force than he intended before speaking again with a more even voice. "Even if the cult was here for you, the villagers knew of the danger ahead of time and were even warned by you to leave. It's their own fault for remaining and there is no guarantee that the cult would not have tried slaughtering this village to sate their own wicked desires. If anyone should take the blame for this destruction, it should be me. The cultist spy was with the merchants I brought into the village and we weren't able to catch them in time."

"Please don't say that Sir Ulric," pleaded Emilia, "The only reason any of the villagers survived is because of your actions. As for me, I shall take your words to heart. What's done is done and now we must help the villagers' rebui-." The sound of cracking ice interrupted her as everyone looked back at the frozen cult leader.

A mass of mana was gathering as the ice broke open around his head, allowing his laugh to once again erupt through the ruins of the village. "I am Betelgeuse Romani Contee'! And no one shall deny the witch's love!" Ulric realized what was about to happen in the next moment and rushed towards the madman with Jiwald.

"La! Protect Emilia," yelled the knight as he attempted to slice off the cult leader's head. But he was a fraction of a second too slow as the monster of a man detonated. The last thing the knight knew was a flash of light and the pain of mystic ice shards piercing his body.

 **Just when all seems over and done with, something else happens! Man, what is with this series?! Oh yeah, I'm writing it. Speaking of writing, I've run into a little problem that I'd like to ask my fellow readers about. You see I've recently been informed that apparently they're finally getting a second season for Re:Zero, which is generally good news all around. But this also means I've got a bit of a decision to make. You're all well aware that this story is nearing the end, at least as far as the anime is concerned. Now I had an ending planned out and everything, more or less, but with this second season announcement I've decided to ask you all, my fellow readers, what should I do? On the one hand, I could stick with my original plan and end the story at the first season with my own ending. On the other hand, I could put the story on a few month's hiatus and then resume it with the showing of season two.**

 **So from this chapter onward til the current end, I'll be opening a poll. Either let it end at the first season of the anime or let it go on hiatus until season two comes out. Just leave your vote in a comment or review and whatever the outcome be sure to stop in next time as our Crusader seeks help from an unlikely source. 'Til next time.**


	28. The Crusader of the Mathers Domain

**The Crusader of the Mather's Domain**

The Ruins of Flugel's Tree

He should be angry, no, furious with the last outcome. Once again he'd had victory within his grasp and once again it had been snatched away by a strange power or ability he hadn't expected. But instead of riotous anger, all he felt was a silent fury as he thought over the events of his last life. A simple passage from the holy bible continued to sound in his mind, 'the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.'

He remembered the state of the village from the cultist's surprise attack with the exploding wagons, the scenes of battle and carnage that had torn apart the peaceful inhabitants. But now he knew that it would happen and this time, this time he'd protect the village for sure. 'Please, God in Heaven, let me try just one more time to prevent this,' he prayed.

His thoughts were interrupted then as something was, nibbling his ear? He came back to his senses then as he realized that it was not something but someone nibbling his ear, and that someone was-. "Felix!" exclaimed Ulric as he recoiled and wiped some of the spit off of his ear, "What in God's name do you think you're doing?!"

"Well you suddenly zoned out," explained Felix with his usual feline smile, "So I had to get your attention."

"I would've preferred it if you'd simply slapped me," Said Ulric, "Then we both might've kept our dignity."

"Remember you said that the next time you zone out," said Felix with a wink.

"It's just good to see you're doing okay," said Ricardo, who Ulric just noticed was standing next to him, "I was starting to think you might've taken too big a whiff of that whale's nasty fog."

"No, this is something else," said Ulric as he surveyed his surroundings. Wilhelm, along with the other soldiers and mercenaries that had been left with him were sitting around him in a circle. 'So my point of return has changed again. Now it's the strategy meeting for exterminating the cult, that's quite fortunate.' "We have a few new issues that have arisen, so everyone needs to listen very carefully. This extermination may get somewhat complicated."

Once again, Ulric told them of the sin archbishop's ability to move from one spare body or 'finger' to another, as well as the known fighting abilities of the cultists. He also gave them the new information about the cultist spy and the misunderstanding of the blank letter. A modified plan was formulated then, one which required a bit more complexity and a level of finesse that Ulric wasn't used too. But if it worked, then the cult would be exterminated and Emilia and the villagers would all be spared.

Though the first part of the plan, was also the least favorite part of the plan for the knight as he rode out with Wilhelm instead of Julius this time. "So the message my lady sent was misunderstood," questioned Wilhelm as they rode out first down the trail.

"Unfortunately it was," replied Ulric as he directed Spiegel into the trees with Wilhelm right beside him, "And if I know Ram, it's possible she'll simply attack me on sight before listening to what I have to say."

"She thinks that little of you?" Remarked Wilhelm with a raised eyebrow as they stopped in a clearing that was ripe with the sounds of nature.

"She just doesn't respect me very highly," explained Ulric, "I'm certain I'm more of a source of entertainment for her than an actual knight. Or perhaps her teasing ways are simply how she shows affection."

"Well let us hope she's in a good mood then," said Wilhelm, "Are you sure she'll be able to detect us in this area?"

"If we've timed this right, then yes," said Ulric as he pulled his mount forward and took a deep breath. "RAM! WE HAVEN'T COME TO FIGHT YOU! THE LETTER WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING, SO ALLOW US A CHANCE TO EXPLAIN!" So loud was his voice that all the other sounds of nature ceased for a few moments.

"I doubt she'll even need her mystical detection abilities if you keep yelling like that," said Wilhelm, "though perhaps you try a little quieter when we move onto the next area. I need to save what hearing I still have left."

"My apologies Sir Wilhelm," said Ulric, "I still don't entirely understand how her ability works, so I wanted to be sure we were heard."

"You most certainly were," said an all too familiar, and annoyed, voice as Ram dropped down wearing a white robe. "You also greatly underestimate my abilities of detection. I've known you were in this forest for more than a few minutes now. So do tell me how this little misunderstanding came about 'Sir' Ulric?" The knight nodded his head and began his explanation with some occasional input from Wilhelm.

Obviously Ram had several questions about what was really going on, but in the end, they were able to convince her of their good intentions and she agreed to accompany them to the village. What followed once they arrived was more of a scolding than a discussion as Ulric once again pointed out the people's own inaction despite being warned by Emilia to leave the village. Fortunately, Ram was also willing to lend her voice in support of Ulric's and the villagers finally agreed to cooperate with the wagons which would be arriving quite soon. But now came the part of the plan that Ulric was most unsure about.

As the trio made their way up the hillside to Roswaal's mansion, Ulric broke off and circled around the side of the mansion. He had no doubt that Wilhelm would be able to convince Emilia of the blank letter's misunderstanding with Ram's help, and Felix would 'coincidentally' show up in a few minutes with urgent news to get them all moving. If all went as planned, everyone in the mansion would head to the village and be evacuated by the wagons along with the villagers. Well, everyone except a certain blond with long curly pigtails.

This was the part of the plan which worried him the most as he used Jiwald to leap over the gate and then up into an open window. Ulric knew Beatrice disapproved of him but not in the same way that Ram disapproved of him. The miniature magic wielder didn't really approve of most people, so getting her to go along with anything was going to be difficult from the start. But there was a very high chance she'd outright refuse the request Ulric was about to make of her.

As before, the knight tried one door after another on the floor he'd entered until finally, on the fifth try, he opened a door into a massive library. 'I believe this particular room is normally one of the wash rooms,' he mused to himself as he stepped inside.

"So, sneaking in while that naïve girl is distracted," said Beatrice, who was once again hunched over a book in her usual chair, "Not a bad plan I suppose, but still rather idiotic. Though if you apologize and leave your helmet behind I might be persuaded to spare you a painful death. Or stay and be obliterated. I don't really care either way I suppose."

"I see you misunderstood the blank letter as well," said Ulric as he removed his helmet and held it under his arm, "I didn't declare war on Lady Emilia or Roswaal. That letter was meant to explain the current situation as well as warn you all of the witch's cult. Also, why exactly do you want me to leave my helmet?"

"It would've made a good paper weight I suppose," said Beatrice as she closed the book she was reading and hopped off of her chair. "But if what you're saying is true, there's little point in coming to warn me. I might not be able to stray far from the mansion, but I'm more than safe within the forbidden library."

"Actually," said Ulric as he rubbed the back of his head, "I didn't just come here to warn you. I came here to the forbidden library, because I need your help. It also may involve you leaving this place for a short time." This got the magic user's attention as she shot a glare at the knight.

"And why in the world should I help you?" said Beatrice in an annoyed tone, "Or rather, why should I take such a large risk helping a meddlesome knight. I'll be just fine in here I suppose."

"Well I can't force you to help me," said Ulric, "But I can tell Puck about how you utterly refused to help against a direct threat to his beloved daughter. What's more, if Lady Emilia dies because you refused to aid us, Puck shall lose his small form that you seem to adore so much." This seemed to get Beatrice's attention as she puffed her cheeks out in anger.

"You didn't have to bring Bubby into this I suppose," she said, "But since I love my bubby time, I'll allow you to at least explain your absurd idea." Ulric nodded as he began to explain what he needed. Truthfully, it was a relatively simple request for someone of her magical abilities. But it did require her to leave the place where she was most powerful, and that was an issue they would both need to work around.

Hillside Overlooking the Village: Some Time Later

'Everthing was proceeding quite well,' thought the spying merchant as he looked out at the village from a distance. He was flanked on either side by his fellow, purple robe wearing cultists. 'The wagons are all prepared and we have the schedule for when that punitive force will be moving. Time to check in with my other brethren.'

The spying cultist then pulled out a small gold disc and flipped it open to reveal the mirror on the inside. "A fascinating metia you have," said an unfamiliar voice. The cultist whirled around, but by the time he did, his two escorts had already been cut down by a purple-haired knight from the capital and another knight in chainmail armor and fabric with a blue cross on the front. "I take it that's how you've been communicating, witch cultist."

The spy didn't know how they knew, but it was clear his cover was no more. He attempted to pull out his cult dagger only to be knocked in the side of the head and forced to the ground by the purple-haired knight. "We've known for some time that you were a spy," said Ulric as he picked up the metia, "How we know is a little secret of mine. I imagine by now you've reported our scheduled movements to the rest of your cult brethren."

"But if you knew all along I was a spy, why let me go free for so long?" Questioned the cult spy.

"Because in war, information is just as valuable as the weapons your army wields," Said Ulric, "Lack of information is dangerous, but even more terrifying is misinformation. The schedule we let you have is actually two hours behind. Our forces are already on the move and now that we have this map of yours, we can locate and crush the sin archbishop and his fingers long before they're prepared. So I suppose I should be thanking you, for falling into our little trap so easily."

The Village: A Short Time Later

He both enjoyed and hated how the plan was proceeding. Just as he'd promised, they'd passed the map onto Ricardo and the Iron Fang which had allowed them to easily locate the other bases of the witch's cult. Even better, with the metia they'd taken off the spy it was a simple matter to check in on the progress of the extermination. In fact, the knight had even gotten the chance to see his lady off as Emilia got a ride on one of the wagons with all the village children.

So why was he slightly irritated? Because he was having to wait until all preparations were complete before engaging the cult leader himself. "There's no need for you to be so tense, Sir Knight," said Felix as he nudged Ulric with his shoulder, "We've got all the bases covered."

"I've thought that on more than one occasion," Replied Ulric, "But it doesn't seem to matter how prepared I am, this land has another surprise that I didn't even think to account for."

"Well with the spy gone and the wagons checked for explosives, we should have eliminated all of the hidden threats to the village," Julius pointed out, "And since we've decided to change our plan and begin eliminating the fingers first, this sin archbishop should have nowhere to go once we confront him head on."

"And look, here comes more good news now," Felix said as Ricardo came riding in on his liger with a blood-soaked cleaver in his hand. "Did your raid go well?"

"Went off without the slightest issue at all," remarked the large wolf man as he hopped off of his mount, "With the cult acting on that leaked intel, none of them were prepared when we came swooping in. The little map you happened to swipe was pretty helpful too, led us right to the base."

"These cultists are surprisingly fastidious given how insane they all are," said Ulric with a hand on his chin.

"Well it wound up backfiring on 'em this time, oh and we got this as well," said Ricardo as he tossed another communications metia to the knight. "The cult's communication network should be all but shut down now, and it seems our other strike force has returned as well." Everyone gathered directed their attention to another group of Iron Fang entering the village, led by Tivey and Mimi.

"We did it, we killed them all!" Cheered Mimi as she waved her staff in the air.

"Could you not sound so cheerful about it," said Tivey, "It makes us sound terrible." The younger sibling then turned his mount towards them. "Oh and get this everybody, we managed to secure a prisoner too!"

"I thought we were going for full extermination," said Ulric, "Who could we possibly be taking captive-Oh, it's you." A pair of ligers were following behind the Iron Fang commanders with a large log held in their jaws. And hanging from that log with his hands and feet bound, was a familiar merchant wearing a green hat and outfit. For whatever reason, the Crusader began laughing. In fact he laughed so hard that his stomach actually began to hurt.

"Are you okay there Ulric," questioned a somewhat concerned Felix.

"Ah, yes I apologize," said Ulric as he wiped a tear from his eye, "I just haven't had cause to laugh for some time. But you needn't worry about this one. His name is Otto and he's the merchant whose out of season oil we'll be purchasing. I was starting to wonder why you hadn't shown up yet."

"I'm afraid I don't know who you are," said Otto as the two ligers dropped the log that was holding him, "But I am grateful that someone knows why I'm here. Could you please untie me?" Ulric nodded and gave a signal to one of the mercenaries who cut him off the log.

"Well that seems to be the last of the extermination squads we sent out," noted Julius as another couple of groups entered the village. "All the pieces should be in place now."

"Good," said Ulric as he placed his helmet on his head and climbed on Spiegel, "We'll crush the sin archbishop of sloth and his entire cult. None of them shall escape this time, now let's move out!" A cheer rang out from the gathered forces before the collection of soldiers and knights moved into the forest.

Main Hideout of the Witch's Cult

'It's possible I could recite the entirety of this madman's speech by now,' thought Ulric as he stood at the entrance to the cult leader's hideout. As before, he'd been welcomed as a fellow believer in love and had to pretend that he was listening as Betelgeuse droned on and on about their supposed gospel. Well he would have if he didn't interrupt the madman.

"I am aware of who you are and why you are here," said Ulric, "You wish to begin the ordeal by using the half elf Emilia as some kind of sacrifice."

"Why, yes, yes indeed," said Betelgeuse as he was surprisingly rendered speechless. He then proceeded to move over to a nearby rock protruding from the ground and started banging his head against it repeatedly. "Forgive me great witch! Forgive me, forgive me, forgive me, forgive me, forgive me! I blame my own slothfulness for not finding this diligent and devoted follower of yours sooner!"

"There is one detail I'm still not entirely clear about," said Ulric. The madman ceased his ravings immediately as he turned back towards the knight, clearly eager to hear how he could help. "Why does the ordeal require the girl in the mansion specifically? True she is a half elf and true she does resemble the great one, but what makes her more desirable than any other half elf?"

"An excellent question, yes, yes, yes a most excellent question!" exclaimed the madman as he held his arms up in the air. "Her similarity to the witch makes her a better candidate to be a vessel, but there is no guarantee that she will be worthy! The only way to know for sure is to make her a sacrifice!"

"So you don't even know if this ordeal of yours will work," said Ulric, "Well in that case I come bringing glad tidings."

"Oh yes, we should both take out our gospels and read the good news together!" exclaimed the crazed cult leader as he pulled out his own black book and held it high in the air. "You have received your gospel as well I take it?"

"I have," said Ulric as he held up the mirror metia in his left hand and opened it, "Psalm 35 verse 8: Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall."

"That's not our gospel," observed Betelgeuse as he cracked his head to the side, "What is this?" He got his answer in another moment as the mirror lit up to reveal Felix's face.

"Wow you weren't kidding Sir Ulric," said Felix, "In fact he's even paler and scarier than you described."

"What's going on here?!" Demanded Betelgeuse as his head snapped to the other side, "Who are you really, no, what are you really?"

"I am a Crusader," said Ulric, "And my crusade is for you cult's end!" The knight quickly unsheathed his sword with his right hand and managed to get a decent cut across the sin archbishop's chest before he leapt back from his blade. The knight whistled then as he backed up himself.

"You lying, unloyal, defiant, bastard!" yelled the madman as he sent his eight unseen hands at the knight. But Ulric was well past being surprised by the ability and easily avoided it before leaping on Spiegel. "You've been granted love that many of us can only dream of, you can even see my authority! So why would you reject it all, why, why, why, why, why, why, why!" The madman continued to contort his body as he tried and failed to catch Spiegel with his unseen hands.

"There has only been one use for the love of that harlot you worship," said Ulric as he retreated to the forest's edge, "And it would hardly be necessary if she hadn't left her scent all over me. I'd love to tell you all about it, but she forbids it by squeezing my very heart."

"How dare you speak as if you have a level of intimacy with our great witch!" Snarled Betelgeuse.

"It is all true I'm afraid," said Ulric, "And despite my hate her presence still clings to me like a persistent wench."

"This is unthinkable, impossible, inconceivable, unimaginable, incomprehensible!" exclaimed the cult leader as he put all of his fingers in his mouth and began chomping down on them until he drew blood. He then moved to attack with his unseen hands again.

"Time to go Spiegel," said Ulric as his steed galloped off into the forest. But the sin archbishop would not be left behind easily as he encircled his hands around his body and began flying after the crusader.

"You will not escape me!" exclaimed Betelgeuse as a few other cultists emerged from the shadows and began pursuing him, "You will be crushed completely by my diligence and devotion!" 'I will if the others don't hurry,' thought Ulric as the shadowed hands inched closer and closer to his back. He began maneuvering Spiegel through even denser thickets of trees, but the hands tore through them with relative ease and forced him back onto the forest path where the pursuing cultists were attempting to surround him.

But as they were about to throw their blades, a collection of powerful screams slammed into his pursuers, tearing them apart and destroying bits of the ground around him. "I'm quite grateful for your assistance but please, be careful where you aim those attacks," said Ulric as Mimi, Tivey, Berat and a few other Iron Fang pulled up behind him.

"Don't worry," said Mimi as she waved her staff in the air with a smile on her face, "You wouldn't be able to thanks us if we hit you."

"I'd thank you if you hit him," said Berat off-handedly, "But that's another matter, is that man up there this so-called sin archbishop?"

"Indeed it is," said Ulric as he pulled back, "be wary of his unseen hand!" The knight kicked Berat's liger, causing it to veer away as one of the unseen hands tore up the area where he just was. Mimi and Tivey turned their heads and forced their pursuer to back off with a few more of their mystical screams.

"Do not expect me to thank you for that," Said an annoyed Berat as they hopped over a collection of downed trees.

"I only expect you to do what you've come here to do," said Ulric.

"Well I didn't expect to be chased by a balled up, icky man!" exclaimed Mimi.

"It is one of the creepiest things I have ever laid eyes on," said Tivey as the cult leader began closing the distance again.

"I suppose that's how it looks to everyone else," said Ulric, "Which is why the plan is for you all to guard the rear and leave the sin archbishop to me."

"We can do that," said Mimi happily as she, Tivey and the rest of the gathered Iron Fang moved aside to deal with the other pursuing cultists.

"Oh to set such events in motion!" Yelled the madman as he continued to pursue the knight, swiping at him at any moment he could find with his dark hands. "None of this was mentioned in the gospel, you were not mentioned in the gospel! Then perhaps, yes, it must be, must be, must be, must be, must be, MUST BE! YOU ARE-!"

"I AM SIR ULRIC!" The knight yelled back as they finally broke into a large clearing where a towering cliff rose with numerous jagged rocks at the bottom that resembled spikes pointing upward. It was here that he finally jumped off of Spiegel and slowly drew his sword. "I know what you think I am and I am not this 'Pride' of which you speak. I am a Crusader and the sworn knight of one of the royal candidates to the throne of Lugnica, Lady Emilia, the silver-haired half-elf whose life you've dared to threaten."

"Well either way you've defied all that was written in the gospel," said Betelgeuse as he landed in front of Ulric, "And since you've gone through all this trouble to lead me to such a strange place, I imagine you have something planned for me."

"Very astute," said Ulric as he pointed upwards at the top of the cliff, "I give you the one and only master of the forbidden library, a magical being unlike any other in this land or even this world. May I present the great Beatrice!" Ulric took a bow then as a sudden flash of light appeared at the top of the cliff.

"I was certain there was more to the speech I gave you," said the miniature magic user as she stepped out of a portal, "But it'll have to do for now I suppose." She then stepped off the cliff and floated down with the aid of a swirling wind around her body.

"You intend to have this child fight in your place?" Questioned Betelgeuse with an insane grin, "You're even more horrible than I thought, yes horrible, horrible, horrible, horrible, horrible!"

"Betty isn't here to fight you," said the small girl as she landed on a large, flat rock protruding from the ground. "The knight boy there simply needed me to stand by and work a little magic to prevent your escape. Now that I get a better look at you it should be relatively easy I suppose."

"I am your adversary," said Ulric as he readied his sword, "So keep your attention on me and prepare yourself, for this very day you may at last meet your end."

"Heh, we shall see," said Betelgeuse as he conjured every hand he possibly could from his back, "NOW DIE TRAITOR TO OUR GREAT ONE'S LOVE!" A wave of hands was launched at the knight as he circled and dodged out of the way. Another few grasped at him but he managed to cut through them with his mana-filled blade before attempting to close the distance. The madman continued to rave as he swung hand after hand at the knight from multiple directions.

But the Crusader was able to slash and leap over those as well as he continued to move ever closer. That was until he felt a grip on his ankle, which he quickly cut as he turned back and saw that some of the hands had turned and were closing in on him from behind. "Don't think I'll die so easily, I've been far too diligent for far too long to simply meet my end at the hands of some boy!" Yelled the cult leader as his hands encircled the knight.

Ulric was forced to stop his advance as he cut through more hands that were now coming from all directions. It was a relentless onslaught as for every five hands he managed to cut, another one got through and attempted to yank him into the air. Though he was able to free himself each time, he could still feel bruises slowly forming from the hand's iron grips as they tore at the metal and fabric of his armor. Eventually, one of the hands managed to grip his sword arm while another gripped his left leg. "Now be overwhelmed by the authority of Sloth!" Yelled Betelgeuse as of the hands attempted to crush him all at once in an incredibly tight grip.

'Not yet,' thought Ulric as he struggled to stand under the pressure of the hands, 'I can still go further than this! I will go further!' "Jiwald!" shouted the Crusader as his body was once again engulfed in blue light. Using all of his strength, Ulric used his mana charged blade to destroy all of the limbs holding him in a powerful swing, clearing the darkness around him.

"I will end your diligence here and now, Kito Jiwald!" proclaimed a glowing Ulric as he fired a head-sized orb of blue light at the sin archbishop. The surprised monster of a man attempted to block the spell, but couldn't bring up enough of his hands in time as the blast tore through his authority and sent him tumbling across the rocky terrain. Ulric followed up with another blast, but the cult leader was ready this time.

"Oh no you don't, Ul Dona!" he said as he raised up a dome of earth. It wasn't strong enough to withstand the impact of the knight's spell, but it allowed Betelgeuse a moment to regain his footing so that he could face his adversary who, was nowhere to be seen in the cloud of dust that had just been created. A flash of light in his peripheral told him an attack was coming then as he whirled around to see the knight's glowing form in midair.

"Now die and leave us in peace!" exclaimed Ulric as he flew towards his enemy. Betelgeuse responded by forming a massive shadow hand in an attempt to stop him. Two opposing forces met then, with the mana-infused blade managing to slice the giant arm down the middle as the knight yelled in determination. All the sin archbishop could do then was look on in horror as the mighty limb he produced was destroyed before the glowing blade was buried in his abdomen, forcing him to the ground.

"Y-you think you've w-won," Said Betelgeuse as he coughed up blood. "B-but my l-love will transcend e-even death!"

"Now Beatrice!" Ulric called back as the cult leader attempted to transfer his mind. The cult leader recoiled in agony as a yellow magic circle appeared around the two of them.

"If this was really all you needed I could've stayed in the library I suppose," said Beatrice with a raised hand.

"I'll remember that the next time I call upon your aid," replied Ulric as he drove his sword even deeper into his foe, "But for now, tell me you've got him."

"Hmph, who do you think you're talking too," said the proud magic user, "Even without reinforcement from the library I'm still more than strong enough to hold this vile soul I suppose."

"Then praise be to God for your might," said Ulric as he pulled his sword out and readied to decapitate his adversary.

"E-even if you k-kill me," Betelgeuse coughed, "The g-girl will s-still die."

"And just how is that possible?" Questioned Ulric with a raised eyebrow, pausing in his swing.

"I c-can feel my few r-remaining followers," the dying madman explained, "They're chasing d-down her wagon n-now. The ordeal is INEVITABLE!" The Crusader was forced back as several dark hands shot out of the sin archbishop's body, knocking down rocks and damaging the cliff side above them. Ulric moved on instinct and used Jiwald to snatch Beatrice out from underneath some of the falling rocks before jumping again to safety.

"Put me down!" Commanded the irritated, centuries old girl, "A being like me does not require being saved by a low tier knight!"

"Of course, my apologies," said Ulric as he set her down, "It was an instinctual movement on my part. But it seems the madman did the rest of our work for us." Indeed there was a large stain of blood where some of the rubble had fallen and crushed the cult leader's body. "If we had the time we could check him. But for now, I need to get to her ladyship." The knight whistled for his steed and Spiegel was there in only a few heartbeats.

"And how exactly do you plan to catch up to the wagons before the cultists, not that I care I suppose," questioned Beatrice as she looked at her nails.

"Spiegel here is the fastest steed I've ever ridden," explained Ulric, "If we get going now we just might make it."

"With the head start the cultists have, I doubt it," said Beatrice, "You might make it in time to save Emilia but no one else."

"Unless you know of a faster way, this is all I can do," replied Ulric as he climbed onto Spiegel.

"As a matter of fact I do know of a faster way I suppose," said Beatrice as she held her hand up and generated a multicolored rift in the air. "She may be far but I can still feel bubby even at this range. This portal should get you much closer to them and in a much shorter amount of time."

"It seems I owe you yet again great Beatrice," Said Ulric as he angled Spiegel towards the portal.

"Hmph, I'm not doing this for you I suppose," replied Beatrice with her hands on her hips, "It'll just be a lot harder to talk to bubby if that naïve girl dies. So the sooner you get moving the sooner I can go back to the mansion and have my afternoon tea." Ulric simply nodded his head as he snapped Spiegel's reins and the two of them leapt into the portal.

Forest Road at the Edge of the Mather's Domain

The ride through Beatrice's portal was, strange to say the least. He could feel the energy coursing all around him and Spiegel as they seemed to fly through the air. The sensation only lasted for a few moments, though, as Ulric quickly felt the impact of Spiegel's feet hitting solid ground once more. 'Alright, I'm on the edge of the domain, now where is-?' The sound of distant explosions gave him his answer as he looked out over the plains.

The cult had indeed managed to catch up to the wagons, but it was as far as they'd gotten thanks to Wilhelm and the other knights. Try as they might the master swordsman was always there to cut down another cultist when they attempted to pursue the wagons. Ulric leapt into the fray without hesitation as Spiegel bounded onto one of the cultists and tore his head off without hardly breaking stride while Ulric cut open the throat of another. Even more met a similar fate as the duo tore through their enemies with sword and fang until they reached Wilhelm.

"Sir Ulric, it's good to see you are well," said Wilhelm as he cut down another enemy, "I take it the cult leader is dealt with?"

"For the moment at least," said Ulric as he slashed another cultist, "I had Beatrice send me here after I heard the remaining followers were chasing the wagons. Tell me, where is Lady Emilia?"

"I had her retreat further down towards the great tree," replied Wilhelm as he impaled a charging cultist, "She's protecting the children and the other refugees."

"Then that is where I must be," said Ulric as he turned his mount back onto the trail, "I trust these peons won't pose a problem for you."

"I will gladly hold the line here," replied Wilhelm as he decapitated a cultist attempting to use a fire spell, "It is the least I can do to repay my debt." The knight nodded as he snapped the reins and took off down the trail at top speed. As he rode, he began to see the bodies of even more cultists, but these were impaled by shards of ice and some were even frozen. 'Just a little further,' he thought as the wagons came into sigh, along with the ones attacking them.

The Crusader had to dodge to the side once or twice as he approached to avoid a few impaled bodies that had been sent flying by his lady's magic. But her display of power also allowed him to overtake the enemy without them noticing until it was too late as Spiegel tore into another cultist with his jaws before tossing him aside. Ulric added his blade to the deadly mix, swinging his blade from side to side and even switching hands when necessary until he'd finally carved a path to the wagon Emilia and the children were on.

"Ulric," Said Emilia as she finally noticed her knight's return, "You made it back. But how did you know where I was?"

"I can answer that and many other questions my Lady, but at a better time," said Ulric as he decapitated another pursuing cultist.

"Of course," said Emilia as her surprised face became one of determination, "Let us deal with these misguided ones first." The Crusader nodded in agreement as he pulled to the side of the wagons and cut through any that managed to get past Emilia and Puck's magic. It was a tense few minutes as Ulric's armor managed to save him from at least three daggers that might've been fatal, while his Lady took some damage to the sleeves of her own outfit thanks to a few daggers that had temporarily pinned her to the wind cover. But by working in conjunction, the two of them were able to cover any weaknesses that appeared in the other's defenses until at last, only a single cultist remained.

This one, being the most nimble of all, managed to pull back and avoid Emilia's ice spells as he formed a rather large fire spell in his hands. Ulric and Spiegel dropped back and swiped at him, but the cultist proved too nimble as he leapt up and readied to throw his spell. What he didn't count on was Ulric quickly casting Jiwald to leap off of Spiegel's saddle and slash him across the back in midair, causing him to recoil in pain. The spell went wide then as it shot out of his raised hand and landed a few yards in front of the fleeing wagons.

None of them were damaged but it was enough to cause the front wagon to stop, which in turn forced all the others behind it to stop as well. "Is everyone all right?" Questioned Ulric as he ran over with Spiegel right behind him.

"We're all okay in here," said Puck happily as he, Emilia and the other children exited the wagon.

"Was that the last of them?" Questioned Emilia as she urged the children to stay behind her for another moment.

"That was all of the ones I could see," replied Ulric, "But it would be best if we continued on to the sanctuary that Roswaal prepared. We'll return once the fighting has died down entirely."

"I suppose we can," said Emilia, "But once we get there, could you explain what's hap-?" She was interrupted by the sound of several loud crashes in the distance. Both her and Ulric looked over to see that something was barreling through the forest, tearing down trees and kicking up debris everywhere as it made its way towards them. Soon enough, the monster broke through the forest into the clearing, revealing itself to be the remains of Betelgeuse's body, now a shadowy mass conveyed by his unseen hands.

"I can say this much at the moment," said Ulric as he turned towards the distant threat, "That is Betelgeuse Romanee Conti, and it seems I need to finish what I started. Please go on ahead my Lady-."

"I will not," said Emilia, causing the knight to look back at her in confusion. "I might not know what's going on but I know this, he's after me and you are running low on mana. So I am going to remain here with you and bide some time for the wagons to get away."

"But your ladyship-," Ulric started to protest before being stopped by Emilia once again.

"My decision is final," she said before stepping forward, "Your responsibility is to protect me. I feel my responsibility is to help others, so I will not run. We shall face this threat together." The knight tried desperately to think of a counter argument but his mind failed him in this instance. So with a sigh, he turned back towards the approaching threat as Emilia signaled for the wagons to continue forward as soon as the children got back on.

"And Ulric," She said once the wagons were out of earshot, "Please, just call me Emilia." The knight smiled under his helmet.

"As you wish, Emilia," he said as they both readied themselves for the coming monster.

"I will have a body for the witch!" Yelled the deformed mass that was once the sin archbishop as he quickly closed the gap. "Give it to me, give it to me, give it to me, give it to me, GIVE IT TO ME!"

"You tormented soul," said Emilia as she, Ulric and Puck all raised a hand. "Please rest now and let your pain end." In a flash, the beast was frozen barely an arm's length away from the half elf as Ulric fired off the strongest Kito Jiwald he could without completely collapsing. The remainder of the cult leader's body was blasted apart, reduced to nothing more than shards of ice that now rained down like snow upon them.

"May God have mercy upon you, should it be right for him to do so," said Ulric as he sheathed his sword and removed his helmet to bow his head. Emilia and Puck did the same until the knight noted tears in the eyes of his lady.

"What troubles you your lad-err Emilia," Questioned the Crusader.

"I'm simply sad that this all happened," Replied Emilia, "Everyone was threatened by the witch's cult because of me. What's more, you appear to have gone through a lot just to save me."

"I was simply following my duty as a knight," said Ulric, "Nothing more than that."

"Ulric, you brought an entire fighting force of knights and mercenaries along with an assortment of merchants to combat this threat and to save all of the villagers," The silver-haired girl pointed out. "If you were simply following your duty, you'd have only tried saving those of us at the mansion. Instead you risked your life trying to save everyone."

"Had I come for you first, you would have ordered me to try and save everyone I could," Replied the Crusader, "So I did what I knew you'd have wanted me to do. Had I been wrong, I would have gladly accepted whatever punishment you saw fit to give me."

"But that's what makes me sad," said Emilia, "You shouldn't have to struggle so much just to fulfill my selfish desires or to protect me. I don't want others to suffer because of me, because of what I am."

"Emilia, if I may speak plainly," said Ulric, "Not once have I ever regretted swearing my loyalty to you. Not at the beginning against that assassin and not now against an entire cult. The life of a knight is not supposed to be entirely peaceful, in fact we expect trouble daily. You say I have suffered for you but my time with you and the others at the mansion has been some of the best of my life in recent years and I thank God every day for having met you all. Even should you release me from my oath now, I would still insist upon protecting you and the others."

"But why Ulric," said Emilia, "why, when my very existence is hated because of what I am and how I look, would you do that?"

"Because, knight's oath or not, you are also my friend Emilia," said Ulric, "You helped me in this world despite not knowing a thing about me and gave me a purpose again. For that alone I am willing to put my life on the line for you. But I must also confess, I've found another reason to protect the mansion." The knight actually looked away a bit sheepishly before continuing. "It's a reason Ram will absolutely hate me for."

Emilia seemed confused for a moment before realization dawned on her face. "Ulric, have you?" She began laughing then as her tears of sadness where replaced with tears of joy. "Well Sir Knight, it seems you will have to take another oath when she finds out."

"Yes, it hurts my pride a little to ask this, but could you possibly provide this knight with some assistance when the time comes?" Questioned Ulric as he rubbed the back of his head.

"It would be my honor, Sir Knight," said Emilia with a bow, "And thank you again Ulric, for everything." The knight nodded as he placed his helmet back on and whistled for Spiegel. The knight and his mistress climbed aboard his stead then and rode off, back to the mansion, back to the blue-haired oni that he'd come to love and on to a new day in their lives.

End of Volume 1

 **And much assistance he did need as Ram was greatly displeased about her sister's choice and attempted to castrate the Crusader on a number of occasions. All joking aside, I hope you all found this a satisfying conclusion to the first 'season' of this fan fiction. Yes indeed, I asked and you have spoken, the series shall continue on shortly after the second season of the anime begins. In the meantime, I'll be finishing up My Hero Academia Hailstorm around the end of season three, leaving me a bit of time to begin some other potential fan fictions. I'll keep everyone updated on what those fics may be as I post my next few chapters. In the meantime, feel free to leave a comment or review about what you liked/disliked or if you've got any neat ideas for future chapters. 'Til next time everyone.**


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